Palmer Ridge is 1-6 against Lutheran since September of 2022 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Monday. The Bears will square off against the Lions at 4:30 p.m. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a six-game winning streak alive.
Palmer Ridge and ThunderRidge faced off in a Battle of the Bears on Friday. The Bears were the clear victors by a 14-3 margin over the Grizzlies. Considering the Bears have won nine matchups by more than five runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
The team relied heavily on Kayleigh Garcia, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, four stolen bases, and three runs. What's more, she posted four RBI, the most she's had since back in October of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Tehani Lum-Perreira, who went 2-for-3 with three runs, one double, and one RBI.
Palmer Ridge was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .438. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .438 or higher in six consecutive contests.
Lutheran came out on top against Northridge on Wednesday thanks in part to the team's impressive nine-run third inning. The Lions never let the Grizzlies get on the board and left with a 12-0 win. The Lions are also no stranger to big wins: their blowout was the eighth game they've won by 6+ runs this season.
Lutheran let Reese Walker and Elle Beausoleil run wild. Walker went a perfect 3-for-3 with two triples, two runs, and one RBI, while Beausoleil went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Those triples marked the first that Walker has hit this season. Another player making a difference was Zoe Stanislawski, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run.
Palmer Ridge's record now sits at 16-3. As for Lutheran, their record is now 14-4.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Monday. Palmer Ridge hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 1.3 home runs per game. However, it's not like Lutheran struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 0.8 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.
Palmer Ridge was able to grind out a solid victory over Lutheran when the teams last played on September 10th, winning 10-7. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bears since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
