Ocean Lakes is 8-2 against Salem since April of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Tuesday. The Dolphins will host the Sundevils at 4:00 p.m. Ocean Lakes is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.3 runs per game this season.
Last Thursday, Ocean Lakes beat Kempsville 8-5. The victory continues a trend for the Dolphins in their matchups with the Chiefs: they've now won three in a row.
Luke Ellison spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered three earned (and two unearned) runs on seven hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks any time he's pitched this season.
Tre Hamilton
| 04/03/25 @ Kempsville | 2 |
| 03/25/25 @ Tallwood | 2 |
| 03/19/25 vs Deep Creek | 2 |
| 04/01/25 vs Cox | 1 |
| 03/20/25 @ First Colonial | 1 |
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Tre Hamilton, who scored two runs while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. He has become a key player for Ocean Lakes: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 1-2 otherwise. Turner Kuhle was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Salem came up short against Kellam on Thursday, falling 10-3. The defeat continues a trend for the Sundevils in their meetings with the Knights: they've now lost four in a row.
Salem saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Zachary Rigsby, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. Rigsby also hit a triple, marking his first of the season. Another was Cole Cooper, who scored a run while going 3-for-3.
Ocean Lakes' win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 4-2. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.7 runs on average over those games. As for Salem, their loss dropped their record down to 1-5.
Salem's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Ocean Lakes has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .471. It's a different story for Salem, though, as they've only averaged .344. Will they be able to contain Ocean Lakes' hitters?
Everything went Ocean Lakes' way against Salem when the teams last played back in April of 2024, as Ocean Lakes made off with a 10-2 win. Will the Dolphins repeat their success, or do the Sundevils have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
