The Leo Lions will take on the Carroll Chargers at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The timing is sure in Leo's favor as the team sits on five straight wins at home (dating back to last season) while Carroll has been banged up by three consecutive losses on the road.
Leo is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victors by a 17-6 margin over Fort Wayne Northrop on Monday. The victory continues a trend for the Lions in their matchups with the Bruins: they've now won seven in a row.
Leo let Howie Pooler and Dominic Rennecker run wild. Pooler scored a run while going 1-for-3, while Rennecker went 1-for-2 with one triple, two RBI, and one run. That's the most RBI Rennecker has posted since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Luke MacDonald, who scored two runs while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Leo always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .556. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Carroll got themselves on the board against Columbia City on Tuesday, but Columbia City never followed suit. They blew past the Eagles 10-0. Carroll's win was all the more impressive since the Eagles were averaging only 3.75 runs allowed on the season.
Carroll also got a great performance from Logan Inman as he didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. Inman also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because the Chargers are 2-1 when he allows at most three earned runs, but 1-2 otherwise.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Jaxon Sparks, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Carroll is 2-1 when Sparks posts three or more RBI, but 1-2 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Asher Wagoner, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 1-for-2.
Leo's victory bumped their record up to 4-0. As for Carroll, the win got them back to even at 3-3.
Wednesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Leo has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .483. However, it's not like Carroll struggles in that department as they've averaged .471. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Leo skirted past Carroll 5-3 in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Will the Lions repeat their success, or do the Chargers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
