The Concord Minutemen will face off against the Lakeland Lakers at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Concord came out on top against Plymouth on Friday thanks in part to the team's impressive six-run sixth inning. The Minutemen came out on top against the Pilgrims/Rockies by a score of 11-7 (the very same score they lost by in their prior game). The game was the first time the Minutemen have beaten the Pilgrims/Rockies on their field since April 20, 2022.
Allison Ralston spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and four unearned) runs on eight hits.
At the plate, Concord let Cassi Reames and Esmeralda Perez run wild. Reames went 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI, while Perez went 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Janessa Bennett, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
Concord was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .421. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .300 or higher in seven consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Lakeland, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Thursday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Elkhart Christian Academy an 11-0 shutout on Friday. That looming 11-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Lakers yet this season.
Shakthi Ramachandran made a big impact no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run while striking out eight over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one double. Those three hits gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Lakeland got a massive performance out of Rylee Amsden, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double. That's the most runs Amsden has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Reahgan Adams, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI, one run, and one double.
Concord's victory bumped their record up to 9-7. As for Lakeland, their win bumped their record up to 5-11.
Concord skirted past Lakeland 9-7 in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Will the Minutemen repeat their success, or do the Lakers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
