The Ludlow Lions will venture away from home to take on the Palmer Panthers at 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Last Wednesday, Ludlow beat Amherst-Pelham Regional 7-2.
C. Kochanek was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out six over five innings pitched. Kochanek was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
In other batting news, Ludlow got a big performance out of E. Steigmeyer, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 1-for-3. Another player making a difference was L. Stejna, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Palmer hadn't done well against Monson recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. The Panthers skirted past the Mustangs 4-2. The Panthers' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Like Ludlow, Palmer also got a great game from a two-way player: Matt Santos. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits. Santos was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, Brendan Hess and Sebastian Mayberry did most of the damage at the plate: Hess scored a run while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances, while Mayberry went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and one RBI. That's the most hits Mayberry has posted since back in May of 2024.
Palmer's first victory this season bumped their record up to 1-3. As for Ludlow, the win got them back to even at 1-1.
Ludlow might still be hurting after the 15-1 defeat they got from Palmer in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Can the Lions avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.