The Lipan Indians will venture away from home to square off against the De Leon Bearcats at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Lipan is coming into the game hot, having won their last four games.
On Tuesday, Lipan needed a bit of extra time to put away Graford. They narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past the Rabbits 11-10. With that victory, the Indians brought their scoring average up to 6.3 runs per game.
Ella Sharp
| 04/01/25 vs Graford | 17 |
| 03/28/25 vs Santo | 12 |
| 03/25/25 vs Stephenville FAITH | 13 |
| 03/21/25 vs De Leon | 15 |
| 03/18/25 @ Graford | 11 |
| + 4 more games |
Ella Sharp was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out 17 batters over eight innings while giving up just two earned (and eight unearned) runs off 14 hits (and only one walk). She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-4.
In other batting news, Finley Shockley and Ryan Atkinson did most of the damage at the plate: Shockley scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4, while Atkinson scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. What's more, Atkinson posted two RBI, the most she's had since back in April of 2024. Gracie Caviness was another key player, scoring a run and stealing two bases.
Lipan kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in four consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when De Leon challenged Santo on Tuesday. The Bearcats took a 16-13 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Wildcats. Despite running the score up even higher than they did in their prior game on Friday (12), the Bearcats still had to take the loss.
Payton Chupp stepped up to lead a balanced group of hitters: she went a perfect 2-for-2 with three runs, three RBI, and one triple. That triple was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Trinity Gonzales, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
Lipan pushed their record up to 6-4 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.0 runs over those games. As for De Leon, they have been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four matches. That's put a noticeable dent in their 7-6 record this season.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Lipan hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .375. However, it's not like De Leon struggles in that department as they've averaged .476. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lipan beat De Leon 8-3 when the teams last played two weeks ago. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Indians since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
