Walled Lake Central is 2-8 against Lakeland since May of 2017 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Vikings will welcome the Eagles at 4:00 p.m. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Walled Lake Central comes in on three and Lakeland on four.
While Walled Lake Central didn't have the best season last year (they finished 2-13), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 8-6 victory over Walled Lake Western on Tuesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Vikings have posted against the Warriors since May 22, 2018.
Katelynn Cole spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and four unearned) runs on nine hits.
At the plate, Taylor Combs and Izabel Mehta did most of the damage at the plate: Combs went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs, while Mehta went 3-for-4 with two triples, three runs, and two RBI. Bella Spellman was another key player, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Walled Lake Central kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
16 must be Lakeland's lucky number: they beat Kettering with that score not once but twice on Tuesday. The Eagles beat the Captains by the very same score they won with in their prior game: 16-1. Considering the Eagles have won six contests by more than six runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Meredith Peterson made a splash while hitting and pitching. She tossed three innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up a single walk in five consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all three of her plate appearances with three runs, three RBI, and one double. Those three RBI gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Lakeland got a massive performance out of Alyssa Goldman, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, two RBI, and one double. Another player making a difference was Emma Hewitt, who got on base in all three of her plate appearances with two runs, two RBI, and one double.
Walled Lake Central's victory bumped their record up to 5-2. As for Lakeland, their win bumped their record up to 6-2.
Lakeland's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Walled Lake Central has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.4 hits per game. It's a different story for Lakeland, though, as they've been averaging 8.8 hits. Given Walled Lake Central's sizable advantage in that area, the Eagles will need to find a way to close that gap.
Walled Lake Central might still be hurting after the 14-4 defeat they got from Lakeland when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Will the Vikings have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
