The Lincoln Lions will take on the Pioneer Mustangs at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are strolling into their matchups after big wins in their previous games.
It was a proper cat-fight when Lincoln duked it out with Christopher on Wednesday. Lincoln was the clear victor by a 9-2 margin over Christopher. The result was nothing new for the Lions, who have now won five games by seven runs or more so far this season.
Carina Reuterskiold was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out 11 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits (and only one walk). Reuterskiold was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Keona Perez was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-3. Another player making a difference was Jocelynn Perez, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
Lincoln hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post two or more strikeouts.
Meanwhile, after low-scoring totals in their previous three contests, Pioneer brought some dynamite into their most recent contest. They blew past Del Mar 17-2 on Wednesday. The victory was some much needed relief for the Mustangs as it spelled an end to their four-game losing streak.
The team relied heavily on Evie Quinn, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. Gizelle Ortiz was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while getting on base in two of her four plate appearances.
Pioneer's win was their first in the league, bumping their league record up to 1-3 and their overall record up to 2-6. As for Lincoln, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 6-3 record this season.
Pioneer's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Lincoln has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 14.3 hits per game. It's a different story for Pioneer, though, as they've been averaging 10 hits. Given Lincoln's sizable advantage in that area, Pioneer will need to find a way to close that gap.
Lincoln took their victory against Pioneer when the teams last played back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 13-5. Does Lincoln have another victory up their sleeve, or will Pioneer turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.