After two games on the road, Manitowoc Lutheran is heading back home. They will take on the Hilbert Wolves at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Manitowoc Lutheran is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 9.1 runs per game this season.
In what's become a running theme this season, Manitowoc Lutheran gave their fans yet another huge win on Tuesday. They were the clear victor by a 16-6 margin over Oostburg. 16 seems to be a good number for Manitowoc Lutheran as the squad scooped up a victory with the same number of runs in their previous game.
Derek Laabs made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out eight batters over six innings while giving up five earned runs off seven hits. Laabs was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances.
In other batting news, Brayden Zirbel was a standout: he scored two runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-5. Caden Stanzel was another key contributor, scoring three runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in five of his six plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Hilbert was not able to break out of their rough patch on Monday as the team picked up their fifth straight loss. They fell victim to a tough 16-0 defeat at the hands of Manitowoc Lutheran.
Hilbert saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Zander Kopp, who went 1-for-3 with a stolen base. Kopp has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times he's played.
Manitowoc Lutheran pushed their record up to 7-2 with that win, which was their fifth straight on the road. As for Hilbert, their loss dropped their record down to 2-5.
Hilbert's pitching crew has a tough task ahead of them: Manitowoc Lutheran has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.2 hits per game. It's a different story for Hilbert, though, as they've been averaging 10.6. Given Manitowoc Lutheran's sizable advantage in that area, Hilbert will need to find a way to close that gap.
Manitowoc Lutheran took their victory against Hilbert when the teams last played on Monday by a conclusive 16-0. Does Manitowoc Lutheran have another victory up their sleeve, or will Hilbert turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
