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

The Lake Oswego Lakers will venture away from home to square off against the Bend Lava Bears at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Bend took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on Lake Oswego, who comes in off a win.

Lake Oswego took a loss when they played away from home on Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They never let Beaverton get on the board and left with a 5-0 win.

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 contests.

Meanwhile, Bend faced North Medford in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Saturday. The Lava Bears fell just short of the Black Tornado by a score of 5-4. The Lava Bears' defeat signaled the end of their four-game winning streak.

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

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

Lake Oswego took their win against Bend in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 12-2 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Lakers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.