Hamburg is a perfect 3-0 against Lake Shore since April of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Bulldogs will venture away from home to take on the Eagles at 5:30 p.m. Hamburg's pitching crew has only allowed 3.9 runs per game this season, so Lake Shore's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Hamburg took a six-run defeat the last time they faced off against Starpoint, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Bulldogs had just enough and edged out the Spartans 5-3. The victory was some much needed relief for the Bulldogs as it spelled an end to their four-game losing streak.
Dylan Monczynski
| 05/06/25 @ Clarence | 3 |
| 05/02/25 @ Williamsville South | 2 |
| 04/26/25 vs Canisius | 2 |
| 04/07/25 vs Fredonia | 2 |
| 04/03/25 @ Sweet Home | 2 |
Hamburg got a great performance from Dylan Monczynski as he struck out six batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off eight hits (and not a single walk). Monczynski also tossed no walks, which is notable because the Bulldogs are undefeated when he allows at most two walks, but 4-6-1 otherwise.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Jimmy Steffen, who went 1-for-3 with three stolen bases and two runs. He has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times he's played. Another player making a difference was Miles Liebenow, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Hamburg was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .407. The last time their batting average was this high was back in April.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Lake Shore, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. They came out on top against Griffith Institute by a score of 9-6 on Wednesday.
Shane Lagattuta was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one double. Those four hits gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Brandon Martin, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.
Lake Shore has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 3-10 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.5 runs over those games. As for Hamburg, their record is now 9-6-1.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Hamburg has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Lake Shore struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Everything went Hamburg's way against Lake Shore when the teams last played back in April of 2019, as Hamburg made off with a 10-0 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bulldogs since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
