The Lakewood Park Christian Panthers will head out to square off against the Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran Cadets at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Lakewood Park Christian has given up an average of 14.6 runs per game this season, but Tuesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Lakewood Park Christian came up short against Churubusco on Monday, falling 17-1. The defeat continues a trend for the Panthers in their meetings with the Eagles: they've now lost five in a row.
Meanwhile, Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran got themselves on the board against Fort Wayne South Side on Monday, but Fort Wayne South Side never followed suit. They were the clear victors by a 14-0 margin over the Archers. The match marked the Cadets' most dominant victory of the season.
Haley Hoffman and Reagan Vowles were major factors no matter where they played. On the mound, Hoffman struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and only one walk). Meanwhile, Vowles pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Those seven strikeouts gave Hoffman a new career-high. At the plate, Hoffman went a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, while Vowles went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run.
In other batting news, Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran let Abagail Weaver and Raelyn Koesters run wild. Weaver went a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBI and one run, while Koesters got on base in all three of her plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base. Those three hits gave Weaver a new career-high. Madi Spreen was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .828. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran's win ended a four-game drought at home and bumped them up to 5-14. As for Lakewood Park Christian, their loss dropped their record down to 2-9.
Tuesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Lakewood Park Christian hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .320. However, it's not like Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran struggles in that department as they've averaged .320. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lakewood Park Christian suffered a grim 12-2 defeat to Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran in their previous meeting back in May of 2023. Can the Panthers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
