The East Lake Eagles will head out to square off against the Manatee Hurricanes at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. East Lake is coming into the game hot, having won their last four games.
East Lake had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the six-run drubbing they dealt Newsome on Thursday. The Eagles blew past the Wolves 9-3. Considering the Eagles have won 12 matches by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Lucy Mondok was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run over seven innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in ten consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.
In other batting news, Meagan Bostak was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March. Anna Folger also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Meanwhile, Manatee didn't have quite enough to beat Lakewood Ranch on Monday and fell 9-7.
Jenna Caldwell was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-4 with one home run and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Mercedes VanTassel, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
East Lake's victory was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 15-4. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.6 runs over those games. As for Manatee, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-13.
Manatee's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: East Lake has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9 hits per game. It's a different story for Manatee, though, as they've been averaging 9.8 hits. Given East Lake's sizable advantage in that area, the Hurricanes will need to find a way to close that gap.
East Lake took their victory against Manatee in their previous meeting back in May of 2018 by a conclusive 11-1 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Eagles since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
