Longmeadow is 0-10 against Minnechaug Regional since May of 2016 but things could change on Thursday. The Lancers will challenge the Falcons at 4:00 p.m. Longmeadow will be looking to extend their current four-game winning streak.
Longmeadow took a 15-run defeat the last time they faced off against Pittsfield, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Lancers had just enough and edged out the Generals 3-2 on Tuesday.
Livia Kelly spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on nine hits and racked up six Ks.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Lexi Winkler, who went 2-for-4 with two doubles and one run. That's the most doubles she has posted since back in April of 2024. Gabby Palma was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
Longmeadow hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their strikeout total in three consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Minnechaug Regional gave up the first runs on Tuesday, but they didn't let that get them down. They came out on top against South Hadley by a score of 5-1. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Falcons.
Veronica Ouimet was incredible, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one triple. She has been hot, having posted at least one stolen base the last five times she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Abby Peyman, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Longmeadow's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 6-3. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 4.0 runs on average over those games. As for Minnechaug Regional, their record is now 3-4.
Minnechaug Regional's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Longmeadow hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .328. It's a different story for Minnechaug Regional, though, as they've only averaged .224. Will they be able to contain Longmeadow's hitters?
Longmeadow suffered a grim 11-3 defeat to Minnechaug Regional when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can the Lancers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
