Lake Country Lutheran is 1-8 against Catholic Central since May of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Lightning will host the Hilltoppers at 4:30 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Having struggled with five losses in a row, Lake Country Lutheran turned things around against St. Francis on Tuesday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Mariners a 15-0 shutout. With that win, the Lightning brought their scoring average up to 6.9 runs per game.
Grace Sonnleitner was a major factor no matter where she played. She pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Sonnleitner was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
In other batting news, Lake Country Lutheran got a massive performance out of Katelyn Meulendyke, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, and one triple. Kierstyn Black was another key player, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, two doubles, and two RBI.
Lake Country Lutheran always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .593. They are 2-1 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Catholic Central, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Thursday. They came out on top against Living Word Lutheran by a score of 12-7 on Tuesday.
Like Lake Country Lutheran, Catholic Central also got a great game from a two-way player: Isabella Gratton. On the mound, she struck out six batters over seven innings while giving up five earned (and two unearned) runs off nine hits. Gratton was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and one double. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games she's played.
In other batting news, Catholic Central let Macklin Wilson and Avery Bauer run wild. Wilson went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI, while Bauer got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Wilson also hit a double, marking her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Jenna Pechous, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two stolen bases, one run, and one double.
The victory was their first at home , bumping their record up to 2-4. As for Lake Country Lutheran, their win bumped their record up to 2-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Lake Country Lutheran has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.9 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Catholic Central struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5.2 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Lake Country Lutheran suffered a grim 13-2 defeat to Catholic Central in their previous meeting back in May of 2021. Can the Lightning avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
