Manitowoc Lutheran is 0-10 against St. Mary Catholic since May of 2017 but things could change on Thursday. The Lancers will be playing at home against the Zephyrs at 4:30 p.m. Manitowoc Lutheran is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.6 runs per game this season.
Manitowoc Lutheran will roll into the contest after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up two runs on Monday, then bounced right back against Oostburg on Wednesday. The Lancers were the clear victors by an 11-4 margin over the Flying Dutchmen. The Lancers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five games by six runs or more this season.
Derek Laabs
| 05/14/25 vs Oostburg | 3 |
| 05/06/25 @ Hilbert | 2 |
| 05/11/24 vs Roncalli | 2 |
| 05/03/24 @ Brillion | 2 |
| 04/23/24 @ Oostburg | 2 |
Derek Laabs made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out six batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off three hits. Manitowoc Lutheran is 2-1 when Laabs allows one or fewer earned runs, but 5-6 otherwise. Laabs was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and three runs. Those three runs gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, Manitowoc Lutheran let Will Franzen and Logan Brooks run wild. Franzen went 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one double, while Brooks went 2-for-4 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Brooks has become a key player for Manitowoc Lutheran: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 3-7 otherwise. Logan Haupt was another key player, earning one RBI, two runs, and two stolen bases.
Meanwhile, St. Mary Catholic was able to grind out a solid win over Manitowoc Lutheran, taking the game 6-2.
Ethan Plutz spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on three hits and racked up six Ks. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Mason Wagner, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI. That double marked the first that he has hit this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Joe Pirillo, who went 1-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
St. Mary Catholic now has a winning record of 7-6. As for Manitowoc Lutheran, the victory got them back to even at 7-7.
St. Mary Catholic's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Manitowoc Lutheran hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .325. It's a different story for St. Mary Catholic, though, as they've only averaged .252. Will they be able to contain Manitowoc Lutheran's hitters?
Manitowoc Lutheran couldn't quite get it done against St. Mary Catholic when the teams last played on Monday as they fell 6-2. Will the Lancers 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 baseball content.
