Baseball Game Preview: Normandy Invaders vs. Westlake Demons

The Normandy Invaders will face off against the Westlake Demons at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this contest.

On Tuesday, Normandy didn't have quite enough to beat Buckeye and fell 4-2. The defeat continues a trend for the Invaders in their meetings with the Bucks: they've now lost four in a row.

Normandy saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Cullen Rooney, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base.

Meanwhile, Westlake came up short against Lakewood on Tuesday, falling 14-6. The pitching woes were uncharacteristic for the Demons, who until this matchup were averaging four runs allowed.

Benjamin Lasinis stepped up to lead a balanced group of hitters: he went 2-for-4 with three RBI and one run. William Bierfeldt was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one triple and two RBI.

Normandy's loss dropped their record down to 4-6. As for Westlake, their defeat dropped their record down to 9-5.

Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Normandy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .438. However, it's not like Westlake struggles in that department as they've averaged .468. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.

Normandy came out on top in a nail-biter against Westlake when the teams last played back in May of 2025, sneaking past 9-8. Will the Invaders repeat their success, or do the Demons have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.