Crown Point is 1-9 against Lake Central since June of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Bulldogs will be playing at home against the Indians at 4:30 p.m. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Crown Point comes in on ten and Lake Central on three.
Crown Point had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 13-run drubbing they dealt Kankakee Valley on Monday. The Bulldogs never let the Kougars get on the board and left with a 13-0 win. Considering the Bulldogs have won 14 games by more than seven runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Paige Liezert was a major factor no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out nine over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 18 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 1-for-1 with two RBI and one double.
In other batting news, Crown Point got a big performance out of Nevaeh Rangel, who went 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. Ashlyn Kita was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Crown Point kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in ten consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Lake Central was able to grind out a solid victory over Hanover Central on Monday, taking the game 4-1.
Maddie Such spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on six hits and racked up 13 Ks.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Tegan Tripp, who went 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April. The team also got some help courtesy of MaKayla Van Vossen, who got on base in all three of her plate appearances with one run.
Crown Point's win was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 19-2. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.4 runs on average over those games. As for Lake Central, their win bumped their record up to 22-3.
Tuesday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Crown Point has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .466. However, it's not like Lake Central struggles in that department as they've averaged .493. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
