Lake Nona is 2-8 against Winter Park since March of 2016 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. A feisty cat fight will be fought as Lake Nona Lions face off against Winter Park Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. Lake Nona knows how to get runs on the board -- the team has finished with ten runs or more in their past three matchups -- so hopefully Winter Park likes a good challenge.
While Lake Nona's victory against Cypress Creek wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Lions had just enough and edged out the Bears 10-9. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Lions have posted since April 23, 2024.
Mia McDonald was excellent, scoring two runs while going 4-for-4. She also put up a double, which was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Valeria Rivera, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-4.
McDonald wasn't the only one working in the hit department: Lake Nona kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 12 hits in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Winter Park came up short against Timber Creek on Wednesday and fell 9-5. The Wildcats have struggled against the Wolves recently, as the game was their third consecutive lost meeting.
Bridget Story made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and scored a run while going 2-for-4. The team also got some help courtesy of Abby Summers, who went 3-for-4 with one RBI.
Lake Nona picked up their first road victory, bumping their record up to 4-2. As for Winter Park, their loss dropped their record down to 5-10.
Winter Park's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Lake Nona has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .449. It's a different story for Winter Park, though, as they've only averaged .341. Will they be able to contain Lake Nona's hitters?
Lake Nona couldn't quite get it done against Winter Park in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 as they fell 5-2. Can the Lions avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
