The Harrison Raiders will take on the Lake Central Indians at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. The timing isn't great for Harrison: they have been struggling with three straight losses at home, while Lake Central has snatched up nine consecutive wins on the road dating back to last season.
Harrison blew Zionsville out of the water the last time the pair played, but on Monday Zionsville got their revenge. The Raiders fell just short of the Eagles by a score of 2-0. That's two games in a row now that the Raiders have lost by exactly two runs.
Harrison saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Mallory Duell, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base. That stolen base marked the first that Duell has snagged this season.
Meanwhile, Lake Central got the win against Michigan City on Wednesday by a conclusive 12-1. Considering the Indians have won 12 contests by more than five runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Moira Falli made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she tossed three innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. Falli was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of her five plate appearances with three stolen bases and one run. Those three stolen bases gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Lake Central let Peyton Martin and Maddie Wainwright run wild. Martin went 2-for-3 with two triples, two runs, and one stolen base, while Wainwright got on base in all four of her plate appearances with three stolen bases and two runs. Those three stolen bases gave Wainwright a new career-high. Lexi Iwema was another key player, earning two runs and two stolen bases.
Lake Central hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Michigan City struck out nine times.
Harrison's defeat dropped their record down to 3-7. As for Lake Central, their victory bumped their record up to 18-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Harrison has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Lake Central struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8.2 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Harrison suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Lake Central in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Will the Raiders have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
