Lapwai hasn't had much luck against Prairie recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Wildcats will be playing in front of their home fans against the Pirates at 4:30 p.m. Lapwai has given up an average of 16 runs per game this season, but Monday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Lapwai is headed into Monday's matchup looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their 19th straight game dating back to last season on Friday. They came up short against Kendrick, falling 18-5. Surprisingly, this marked the Wildcats' fourth straight game in which the away team has come away the victor.
Lapwai saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Thamius Sherman, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one run and one RBI. Jereese McCormack also deserves some recognition as he brought in his first RBI of the season.
Meanwhile, Prairie came tearing into Saturday's contest with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 15.3 runs), and they left with even more momentum. Everything went their way against the Bulldogs as they made off with a 25-8 victory. The result was nothing new for the Pirates, who have now won five games by nine runs or more so far this season.
The team relied heavily on Jake Quintal, who went 3-for-5 with seven RBI, three runs, and one stolen base. He has become a key player for Prairie: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 1-4 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Chris Schumacher, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, one triple, and one RBI.
Prairie kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 19 hits. They are 4-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Prairie pushed their record up to 6-4 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 17.0 runs over those games. As for Lapwai, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-7.
Monday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Lapwai has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .500. However, it's not like Prairie struggles in that department as they've averaged .558. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lapwai suffered a grim 20-5 defeat to Prairie in their previous matchup two weeks ago. Will the Wildcats have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
