The Lexington Minutemen will face off against the Bryan Golden Bears at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Lexington comes in on five and Bryan on six.
Lexington is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. They blew past Lake 9-1. The Minutemen might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 18 contests by six runs or more this season.
Makaree Chapman was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out eight batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits (and only one walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in all five of her plate appearances with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Quinn Patrick and Alexis Cantrell did most of the damage at the plate: Patrick got on base in four of her five plate appearances with two runs, while Cantrell went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. Kylie Thornton was another key player, going 1-for-5 with three RBI and one double.
Meanwhile, Bryan narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past West Geauga 3-2.
Like Lexington, Bryan also got a great game from a two-way player: Thea Staten. She didn't allow a single earned run while striking out 16 over seven innings pitched. Staten was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with one triple and one RBI.
Staten wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was MacKenzie Blevins, who went 2-for-3 with one double. That's the most hits Blevins has posted since back in April.
Lexington's record now sits at 24-3. As for Bryan, their record is now 17-4.
Lexington's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's matchup. The Minutemen have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.9 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Bryan, though, as they've been averaging only 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Lexington continue to outrun the ball?
Lexington came up short against Bryan in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, falling 4-1. Can the Minutemen avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
