The Manchester Squires will take on the Lewis Cass Kings at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The timing isn't great for Manchester: they have been struggling with three straight losses at home, while Lewis Cass has snatched up three consecutive wins on the road.
Manchester fought the good fight in their extra-innings contest against Whitko on Monday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Wildcats by a score of 2-1. Having soared to a lofty 17 runs in the game before, the Squires couldn't push the score so high this time.
Molly Schannep spent all nine innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on four hits.
On the hitting side, Manchester saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Izzy Renz, who went 1-for-4 with two stolen bases.
Meanwhile, Lewis Cass never let their opponents score on Monday. They put the hurt on Northfield with a sharp 10-0 victory. That ten run margin sets a new team best for the Kings this season.
Ruth (Amma) Fitzhugh was a major factor no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in eight consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one double, and one RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in May of 2024.
In other batting news, Kaitlyn Benner was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, two RBI, and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Hannah Zamora, who went 2-for-3 with two runs.
Lewis Cass was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .556. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Manchester now has a losing record of 10-11. As for Lewis Cass, their win ended a five-game drought at home and bumped them up to 6-9.
Wednesday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Manchester hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .313. However, it's not like Lewis Cass struggles in that department as they've averaged .315. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Manchester beat Lewis Cass 6-3 in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Will the Squires repeat their success, or do the Kings have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
