The Lennard Longhorns will take on the Chamberlain Storm at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Lennard took a loss when they played away from home two weeks ago, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Saturday. They came out on top against Blake by a score of 11-1 (the very same score they lost by in their prior game). The Longhorns haven't had any issues with the Yellow Jackets recently, as the game was their eighth consecutive victory against them.
Kennedy McClain and Ashley Brionez did most of the damage at the plate: McClain went 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one double, while Brionez got on base in all four of her plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. That's the most hits McClain has posted since back in February. The team also got some help courtesy of Sarita Hernandez, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with one run and one double.
Lennard always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .639. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Blake only posted an OBP of .174.
Chamberlain came out on top against Strawberry Crest on Monday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run fifth inning. The Storm were the clear victors by a 7-1 margin over the Chargers. The game was the first time the Storm have beaten the Chargers on their field since February 22, 2019.
Daria Bush made a splash while hitting and pitching. She struck out 11 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in 13 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three RBI and two doubles.
Bush wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Braylynn Ausman-Hall, who went 1-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base. Eliana Rivera was another, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with one double.
Chamberlain is on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last ten matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 13-5 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.4 runs over those games. As for Lennard, their victory bumped their record up to 7-8.
Wednesday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Lennard hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .345. However, it's not like Chamberlain struggles in that department as they've averaged .318. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lennard beat Chamberlain 12-9 when the teams last played back in April of 2021. Will the Longhorns repeat their success, or do the Storm have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
