Manatee hasn't had much luck against Lakewood Ranch recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Hurricanes will host the Mustangs at 6:00 p.m. Manatee will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each game than the last.
Manatee barely beat St. Petersburg the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Hurricanes put the hurt on the Green Devils with a sharp 18-1 victory on Thursday. The Hurricanes have beaten the Green Devils the last nine times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Green Devils has come to flipping the script.
Jaydin Wanbaugh was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she pitched three innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. Wanbaugh was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances. That's the most runs she has posted since back in February.
In other batting news, Hope Jordan was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and two doubles. That's the most runs she has posted since back in February. Another player making a difference was Addison Davis, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-2.
Manatee was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .579. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Lakewood Ranch fought the good fight in their extra-innings contest against Palmetto on Thursday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They wound up with the same score they had in their last game (8-4), but sadly the team found themselves on the wrong side of the score this time. Their loss signaled the end of their seven-game winning streak.
Bella Toscano spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and four unearned) runs on six hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Payton Burdick was cooking despite her team's loss, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
Manatee's win bumped their record up to 4-12. As for Lakewood Ranch, their defeat dropped their record down to 10-8.
Manatee suffered a grim 12-4 defeat to Lakewood Ranch in their previous matchup back in March. Will the Hurricanes have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
