Venice hadn't done well against Lakewood Ranch recently (they were 1-7 in their previous eight matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. The Venice Indians skirted past the Lakewood Ranch Mustangs 3-2. This was payback for the Indians, who suffered a 4-3 defeat the last time these two teams met.
Jayde Neptune spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on eight hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up a single walk any time she's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, Raionna Smith was excellent, going 3-for-4 with one double and one RBI. That RBI was her first of the season.
Indians
| 02/28/25 vs Lakewood Ranch | 3-2 |
| 02/18/25 vs Cardinal Mooney | 7-0 |
| 04/25/24 vs Bishop Verot | 4-3 |
| 04/19/24 vs Braden River | 17-6 |
| 04/18/24 vs Riverview Sarasota | 2-1 |
Venice's win was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 3-1. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.4 runs on average over those games. As for Lakewood Ranch, their loss dropped their record down to 1-4.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Venice will square off against North Port at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Venice's pitching crew has only allowed 2.5 runs per game this season, so North Port's hitters will have their work cut out for them. As for Lakewood Ranch, they will face off against Lake Placid at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
