Lincoln is 0-3 against Homestead since March of 2022 but things could change on Tuesday. Lincoln will welcome Homestead at 4:00 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Lincoln 3.8, Homestead 3.3) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Homestead will be up against a hot Lincoln team: the squad just extended their winning streak to three. Lincoln walked away with a 7-4 win over Silver Creek on Monday.
Jocelynn Perez was a standout: she went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one double. Olivia Diaz was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 3-for-4.
Perez wasn't the only one working in the hit department: Lincoln kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in seven consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, Homestead posted their closest victory since April 10, 2024 on Thursday. They narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past Mountain View 3-1. The game was the first time the Mustangs have beaten the Spartans on their field since April 8, 2022.
Mackenzie Smith spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on six hits and racked up ten Ks. With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 5.5 strikeouts per game.
On the hitting side, Homestead's victory was truly a team effort as four different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Cierra Hagan, who went 1-for-3 with one triple and one RBI. That triple marked the first that Hagan hit this season.
Lincoln's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 8-3. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Homestead, their win bumped their record up to 4-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Lincoln has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Homestead struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.2 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Lincoln might still be hurting after the 9-3 loss they got from Homestead in their previous matchup back in February of 2024. Will Lincoln have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
