vs
| 05/02/24 - Home | 10-9 W |
| 05/04/23 - Away | 5-3 W |
| 04/25/23 - Home | 7-1 W |
| 05/13/22 - Home | 8-5 W |
| 04/25/22 - Home | 4-5 L |
| + 5 more games |
Lakeland and Central Noble are an even 5-5 against one another since May of 2017, but likely not for long. The Lakers will head out on the road to square off against the Cougars at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Lakeland lost a heartbreaker the last time they played West Noble, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Tuesday's contest. The Lakers put the hurt on the Chargers with a sharp 11-2 victory on Tuesday. The win was some much needed relief for the Lakers as it spelled an end to their six-game losing streak.
Shakthi Ramachandran spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on four hits and racked up 12 Ks.
At the plate, Lakeland let Kylee Waldron and Reahgan Adams run wild. Waldron went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two doubles, while Adams went 2-for-3 with two runs, two doubles, and one stolen base. That's the most hits Waldron has posted since back in April. Rylee Amsden also deserves some recognition as she brought in her first RBI of the season.
Meanwhile, Central Noble was not the first on the board on Tuesday, but they got there more often. They walked away with a 6-2 victory over Garrett. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Cougars.
Central Noble also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Grace Swank gave up just two earned runs on one hit and racked up 19 Ks. Swank has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two hits in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Nevaeh Schoup and Avery Deter did most of the damage at the plate: Schoup went 2-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI, while Deter went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run. Kierra Bolen was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.
Central Noble hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least four batters in ten consecutive matches.
Lakeland's record now sits at 4-10. As for Central Noble, their record is now 10-4.
Lakeland's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's game. The Lakers have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.5 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Central Noble, though, as they've been averaging only 0.9 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Lakeland continue to outrun the ball?
Lakeland came out on top in a nail-biter against Central Noble when the teams last played back in May of 2024, sneaking past 10-9. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Lakers since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
