The York Cougars will face off against the Lancaster Bruins at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday. York is coming into the contest hot, having won their last 11 games.
If York beats Lancaster with eight runs on Tuesday, it's going to be the squad's new lucky number: they've won their past two games with that exact score. The Cougars came out on top against East Rutherford by a score of 8-3 on Monday.
Layla Clayton
| 04/28/25 vs East Rutherford | 6 |
| 04/15/25 @ Clover | 14 |
| 04/08/25 vs South Pointe | 10 |
| 04/03/25 vs Dreher | 14 |
| 04/01/25 @ Dreher | 15 |
| + 6 more games |
Layla Clayton made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out six over seven innings pitched. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 11 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
Clayton wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Peyton Brooks, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one double. Natalie Dover was another, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
York hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least five batters in seven consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Lancaster fought the good fight in their extra-innings contest against Blythewood on Monday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Bengals by a score of 10-9.
Olyanna Wheeler was cooking despite her team's loss, going 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple. That triple marked the first that she has hit this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Sheridyn Mickles, who went 3-for-5 with one run and one double.
York's win was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 16-3. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.8 runs on average over those games. As for Lancaster, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost ten of their last 13 games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 9-12 record this season.
Lancaster's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Tuesday. York has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.9 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Lancaster, though, as they've been averaging only 3.8 strikeouts. Will York keep running through batters, or will the Bruins buck the trend?
York took their win against Lancaster in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 18-5 score. Will the Cougars repeat their success, or do the Bruins have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
