The Brillion Lions will square off against the Manitowoc Lutheran Lancers at 3:30 p.m. on Friday. Brillion will be strutting in after a victory while Manitowoc Lutheran will be coming in after a defeat.
Brillion is headed into the game having just posted their closest win since April 26th on Thursday. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past New Holstein 5-4.
Joe Shimek made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out nine batters over seven innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off seven hits (and not a single walk). He also tossed no walks, which is notable because Brillion is 5-2 when he allows at most two walks, but 5-8 otherwise. Shimek was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Hayden Cousin
| 05/08/25 @ Sheboygan Falls | 3 |
| 04/22/25 vs Roncalli | 3 |
| 04/17/25 vs Two Rivers | 3 |
| 05/22/25 @ New Holstein | 2 |
| 05/03/25 vs Hilbert | 2 |
| + 8 more games |
In other batting news, Hayden Cousin was excellent, earning two runs and four stolen bases. He is becoming a predictor of Brillion's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 5-10 when he doesn't). Chase Braun was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Brillion hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They are 2-1 when they post two or more strikeouts.
Meanwhile, Manitowoc Lutheran suffered their biggest loss since April 28th on Thursday. They came up short against Reedsville, falling 9-1. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Lancers' biggest loss of the season was also their lowest-scoring.
Manitowoc Lutheran saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Wesley Hecker, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base.
Manitowoc Lutheran has also been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 7-9 record this season. As for Brillion, the win got them back to even at 10-10.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Brillion has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Manitowoc Lutheran struggles in that department as they've been averaging 4.1 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Brillion skirted past Manitowoc Lutheran 8-7 in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Will the Lions repeat their success, or do the Lancers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
