Auburndale is 2-8 against Lake Region since March of 2020 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Bloodhounds will take on the Thunder at 7:00 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Auburndale made up a huge gap compared to their last game against Winter Haven, but they still couldn't quite topple them. The Bloodhounds were the clear victors by a 12-2 margin over the Blue Devils on Thursday. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Bloodhounds as it put an end to their six-game losing streak.
Auburndale let Alyssa Wright and Rylee Bass run wild. Wright scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-2, while Bass scored two runs while going 2-for-3. That's the most hits Wright has posted since back in April of 2024. Abby Black also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Auburndale was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .385. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Winter Haven only posted a batting average of .235.
Meanwhile, Lake Region came tearing into Friday's game with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 10 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They put the hurt on the Eagles with a sharp 11-5 win. The result was nothing new for the Thunder, who have now won ten contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Makenna Meadows was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out ten batters over seven innings while giving up three earned (and two unearned) runs off seven hits. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 15 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Margaret Jenkins was incredible, scoring four runs and stealing four bases while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. She has been hot recently, having posted two or more stolen bases the last four times she's played. Kirsten Aldridge was another key player, scoring two runs while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.
Lake Region's victory was their ninth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 16-2. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.7 runs over those games. As for Auburndale, their record is now 5-14.
Auburndale suffered a grim 12-0 defeat to Lake Region when the teams last played back in March. Can the Bloodhounds avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
