The Western Pioneers will be staying on the road on Thursday to face off against the Lennox Academy Panthers at 3:15 p.m. Western is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9 runs per game this season.
Western fought the good fight in their extra-innings match against Savanna on Wednesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Rebels by a score of 5-4. Western has struggled against Savanna recently, as their game on Wednesday was their seventh consecutive lost matchup.
Desiree Leal spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and two unearned) runs on five hits. Those eight innings set a new season-high mark for her.
On the hitting side, Anneliese Carlos was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-4 with four RBI, a run, and a double. Another player making a difference was Katie Donis, who got on base in four of her five plate appearances with two stolen bases.
Meanwhile, Lennox Academy waltzed into their contest on Friday with four straight wins... but they left with five. They won by a run and slipped past the Cougars 3-2.
Valeria Lopez made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off two hits. Lopez was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-2.
Lopez wasn't the only one making solid contact as two players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Stacey Torres, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Western now has a losing record at 10-11. As for Lennox Academy, their victory was their eighth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 13-3.
Western's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's matchup. Western has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Lennox Academy, though, as they've been averaging only 1.2. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Western continue to outrun the ball? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
