The Lakeview Bulldogs will face off against the Girard Indians at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. Lakeview is coming into the contest hot, having won their last ten games.
On Wednesday, Lakeview needed a bit of extra time to put away South Range. They had just enough and edged out the Raiders 6-5. Surprisingly, this marked the Bulldogs' fifth straight game in which the away team has come away the victor.
Isabella Isenberg spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and one unearned) runs on ten hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Lakeview let Kalyssa Werner and Mackenzie Stowe run wild. Werner went 4-for-5 with two stolen bases, one run, and one double, while Stowe went 2-for-3 with one home run.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Lakeview kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 11 hits in nine consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Girard's hitters rose to the challenge against a Beavers pitching crew that boasted an average of only 3.82 runs allowed on Thursday. The Indians blew past Beaver Local 11-1. Considering the Indians have won nine matches by more than nine runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Girard also let their pitcher toss all six innings played and she was also dialed-in: Chloe Plant gave up a run (which was unearned) on five hits.
At the plate, Gianna Saxon was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with three RBI, one run, and one double. Quinn Wilster was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and three runs.
Lakeview pushed their record up to 16-3 with the victory, which was their seventh straight on the road. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 4.0 runs on average over those games. As for Girard, they now have a winning record of 11-10.
Monday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Lakeview has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .468. However, it's not like Girard struggles in that department as they've averaged .471. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lakeview was able to grind out a solid victory over Girard when the teams last played back in April, winning 10-5. Will the Bulldogs repeat their success, or do the Indians have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
