The Lake Placid Dragons will head out to take on the Hardee Wildcats at 7:30 p.m. on Monday. Lake Placid has given up an average of 7.9 runs per game this season, but Monday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Lake Placid is headed into Monday's game looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their fourth straight game on Friday. They came up short against Bishop Verot, falling 12-2.
Lake Placid saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Emily Tharp, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base and one double.
Hardee not only won on Friday, but they posted their biggest win since April 16, 2024. They put the hurt on DeSoto County with a sharp 12-5 victory. The Wildcats' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Alexis Villegas looked comfortable as she pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Elida Ramirez, who scored three runs and stole two bases while going 4-for-4. The dominant performance also gave her a new career-high in doubles (two). Yareli Duarte was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
Hardee kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
The win made it two in a row for Hardee and bumps their season record up to 2-6. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.5 runs over those games. As for Lake Placid, their defeat dropped their record down to 5-7.
Hardee's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Lake Placid has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .465. It's a different story for Hardee, though, as they've only averaged .355. Will they be able to contain Lake Placid's hitters?
Lake Placid took their win against Hardee in their previous meeting back in February by a conclusive 13-3. The rematch might be a little tougher for Lake Placid since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
