The Lane Tech Champions will challenge the Taft Eagles at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Taft will square off against a team with plenty of momentum: Lane Tech extended their winning streak to four on Tuesday. The Champions' pitcher stepped up to hand Northside an 11-0 shutout.
Clarissa Hoesley looked comfortable as she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over four innings pitched. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Grace Brobson was a standout: she went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and one stolen base. That's the most hits she has posted over her last 11 matches. Olivia Segura was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one home run, two RBI, and one double.
Lane Tech was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .571. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their batting average total in four consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Taft made easy work of Lincoln Park on Tuesday and carried off a 14-0 win. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Eagles.
Claire Dennewitz tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out 12 over five innings pitched.
On the hitting side, Mia Perez was excellent, earning two RBI, two runs, and two stolen bases. Another player making a difference was Michaela Power, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBI.
Lane Tech's victory was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 18-10. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for Taft, their victory bumped their record up to 17-10.
Saturday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Lane Tech has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .447. However, it's not like Taft struggles in that department as they've averaged .441. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lane Tech skirted past Taft 5-3 in their previous meeting on Saturday. Will the Champions repeat their success, or do the Eagles have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
