Baseball Game Preview: Bend Lava Bears vs. Lake Oswego Lakers

The Bend Lava Bears will challenge the Lake Oswego Lakers at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The timing is sure in Bend's favor as the team sits on five straight wins at home (dating back to last season) while Lake Oswego has been banged up by four consecutive losses on the road.

Bend is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Oregon's top teams: North Medford, who was ranked 23rd at the time (Bend was ranked ninth). The Lava Bears fell just short of the Black Tornado by a score of 5-4 on Saturday.

Meanwhile, while Lake Oswego put up some runs on Friday, the same can't be said for Beaverton. The Lakers walked away with a 5-0 win over the Beavers.

Carsten Lemon was excellent, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-3. What's more, he posted two RBI, the most he's had since back in April of 2024.

Lake Oswego was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .375. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .367 or higher in three consecutive matchups.

Bend's defeat dropped their record down to 8-2. As for Lake Oswego, their victory bumped their record up to 3-6.

Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Bend has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .479. However, it's not like Lake Oswego struggles in that department as they've averaged .441. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.

Bend suffered a grim 12-2 defeat to Lake Oswego in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Will the Lava Bears have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.