Leon is on a three-game streak of home wins, while Chiles is on a four-game streak of away wins (dating back to last season): one of those streaks is about to end. The Leon Lions will host the Chiles Timberwolves at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Leon had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the eight-run drubbing they dealt Rickards on Wednesday. Everything went Leon's way against Rickards as Leon made off with a 10-2 win. The Lions haven't had any issues with the Raiders recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Kamryn Smith spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on five hits and racked up six Ks.
On the hitting side, Sara Rose Aikens was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing three bases while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Lamonika Sims, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-5.
Meanwhile, Chiles made easy work of Blountstown on Tuesday and carried off a 17-6 win.
Anna Kate Barber was a major factor no matter where she played. She tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Barber was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 1-for-2.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lilly Morris, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, four runs, and five RBI. The dominant performance also gave her a new career-high in hits (four). Adelyn Matthews was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 5-for-6.
Chiles kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 19 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in eight consecutive games dating back to last season.
Chiles' victory bumped their record up to 3-0. As for Leon, their win bumped their record up to an identical 3-0.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Leon hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .437. However, it's not like Chiles struggles in that department as they've averaged .491. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Leon might still be hurting after the 16-1 loss they got from Chiles when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Will Leon 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.
