The Lake Blue Streaks will take on the South Rebels at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Lake's pitching crew has only allowed 3.1 runs per game this season, so South's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Lake is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Ohio's top teams: Green, who was ranked 13th at the time (Lake was ranked 12th). The Blue Streaks fell just short of the Bulldogs by a score of 5-4 on Monday. The Blue Streaks' loss signaled the end of their eight-game winning streak.
Aubrey Eisele was cooking despite her team's loss, going 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Olivia Brown, who went 1-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, with a playoff win on the line, South rose to the challenge on Thursday. They put the hurt on the Hawks with a sharp 28-1 victory. The Rebels' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Savannah Jolly was incredible, getting on base in all five of her plate appearances with four runs, three RBI, and two doubles. Those four runs gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Makayla Schneider, who went 2-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and one double.
South kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 11 hits in six consecutive contests.
South has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-11-1 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.5 runs over those games. As for Lake, their defeat dropped their record down to 18-5.
Tuesday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Lake hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .403. However, it's not like South struggles in that department as they've averaged .323. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lake might still be hurting after the 10-1 loss they got from South in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can the Blue Streaks avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
