The Rochester Zebras will square off against the Manchester Squires at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Both teams are coming into the game red-hot, with Rochester sitting on six straight victories and Manchester on four.
Rochester had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 16-run drubbing they dealt Northfield on Monday. The Zebras put the hurt on the Norsemen with a sharp 17-1 win. The result was nothing new for the Zebras, who have now won four matchups by eight runs or more so far this season.
Bria Rensberger was a major factor no matter where she played. She struck out 16 batters over six innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in seven consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of her five plate appearances with one stolen base, two RBI, and one double. That stolen base marked the first that she has snagged this season.
Aubrey Miller
| 04/28/25 @ Northfield | 4 |
| 04/21/25 @ Eastern | 2 |
| 04/10/25 @ Plymouth | 2 |
| 04/08/25 vs Triton | 2 |
| 04/03/25 @ Mishawaka | 2 |
In other batting news, Aubrey Miller was incredible, going 2-for-4 with four stolen bases, four runs, and three RBI. Those four runs gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Aubrey Wilson, who went 2-for-5 with two RBI and one run.
Rochester kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Northfield only managed two hits.
Meanwhile, Manchester was able to grind out a solid victory over Wabash on Monday, taking the game 8-4.
Molly Schannep spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned runs on seven hits and racked up seven Ks. Those seven strikeouts set a new season-high mark for her.
At the plate, Hadley West was a standout: she got on base in three of her four plate appearances with three stolen bases, one run, and one double. Ava Sautter was another key player, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
Rochester pushed their record up to 10-3 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.3 runs over those games. As for Manchester, their record is now 8-5.
Manchester's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Wednesday. Rochester has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 10.9 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Manchester, though, as they've been averaging only 3.1 strikeouts. Will Rochester keep running through batters, or will the Squires buck the trend?
Rochester came up short against Manchester in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, falling 6-2. Can the Zebras avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
