Softball Recap: Manatee Takes a Loss

If Manatee was feeling good fresh off their 18-1 takedown of St. Petersburg last Thursday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. The Hurricanes fell just short of the Lakewood Ranch Mustangs by a score of 9-7 on Monday. Unfortunately, that's the second time they've come up short against the Mustangs this season, as they also lost their prior matchup 12-4 back in March.

Jenna Caldwell was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-4 with one home run and two RBI. That home run marked the first that she launched this season. Another player making a difference was Mercedes VanTassel, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.

Manatee dropped their record down to 4-13 with the loss, which was their fifth straight at home. As for Lakewood Ranch, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won eight of their last nine matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-8 record this season.

Manatee will take on East Lake at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The Eagles will roll in looking for their fifth straight win, something the Hurricanes surely won't give up without a fight. As for Lakewood Ranch, they will square off against Braden River at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The Mustangs are facing the Pirates at the right time seeing as the Pirates are stuck on a six-game losing streak.