The Lincoln Lions will head out on the road to square off against the Prospect Panthers at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Lincoln 3.6, Prospect 4.1) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Lincoln will roll into the matchup after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up one run two weeks ago, then bounced right back against Silver Creek on Wednesday. The Lions were the clear victors by a 12-3 margin over the Raiders. The Lions haven't had any issues with the Raiders recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.
Carina Reuterskiold spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three runs (all of which were unearned) on five hits and racked up nine Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Lincoln let Olivia Diaz and Jocelynn Perez run wild. Diaz went 2-for-4 with one home run and five RBI, while Perez scored two runs while going 3-for-4. That's the most RBI Diaz has posted since back in March of 2024. Giselle Gutierrez also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Lincoln was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .438. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Prospect waltzed into their game on Wednesday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They walked away with an 11-8 victory over the Cougars.
Kendall Tabora was a major factor no matter where she played. She pitched seven innings while giving up just two earned (and six unearned) runs off 11 hits. Tabora was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Dani Rauscher was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing four bases while getting on base in three of her five plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Isa Shields, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Lincoln's record is now 9-4. As for Prospect, their record now sits at an identical 9-4.
Both the two teams just can't seem to miss. Lincoln has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 13.1 hits per game. However, it's not like Prospect struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 5.4 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lincoln took their win against Prospect when the teams last played back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 16-6 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Lions since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
