Leo has won three straight games at home, while Lakeland has won three straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Monday. The Lions will welcome the Lakers at 7:00 p.m. Leo knows how to get runs on the board -- the team has finished with ten runs or more in their past five contests -- so hopefully Lakeland likes a good challenge.
Leo is probably headed into the match with a chip on their shoulder considering Mississinewa just ended the team's six-game winning streak on Saturday. They fell just short of the Indians by a score of 11-10. The pitching woes were uncharacteristic for the Lions, who until this game were averaging 3.62 runs allowed.
Luke MacDonald made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, one triple, and one stolen base. That triple marked the first that he has hit this season. Patrick Drudy was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Meanwhile, Lakeland hadn't done well against East Noble recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Saturday. The Lakers walked away with a 10-6 win over the Knights. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Lakers considering their two-run performance the contest before.
Levi Cook was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. He has been consistent for a while: he hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with one home run, six RBI, and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Brayden Holbrook, who went 2-for-3 with one home run and one double. Another player making a difference was Carson Mickem, who earned three runs and two stolen bases.
Lakeland is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 16-4 record this season. As for Leo, their defeat dropped their record down to 18-3.
Monday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Leo has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .483. However, it's not like Lakeland struggles in that department as they've averaged .490. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Leo was able to grind out a solid victory over Lakeland in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, winning 9-5. Do the Lions have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Lakers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
