Softball Game Preview: Lakewood Gators vs. Palisades Pumas

The Lakewood Gators are taking a road trip to square off against the Palisades Pumas at 11:15 a.m. on Thursday. Lakewood has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the game with three straight losses, while Palisades will come in with three straight wins.

Last Tuesday, Lakewood came up short against Oak Glen and fell 6-2.

Meanwhile, Palisades earned an 8-5 victory over Marietta on Wednesday.

Zahria Montgomery spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and two unearned) runs on nine hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Janiya Johnson, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-4. What's more, she posted two RBI, the most she's had since back in March. Another player making a difference was Gracie Goodrich, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-3.

Lakewood's defeat dropped their record down to 4-9. As for Palisades, their win bumped their record up to 9-11.