Manchester is 2-8 against Midlothian since May of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Lancers will head out to square off against the Trojans at 5:00 p.m. The last three games Manchester has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
Manchester couldn't beat Atlee on Monday even though they stacked five runs on them in the seventh inning. The Lancers fell just short of the Raiders by a score of 7-5.
Meanwhile, Midlothian put another one in the bag on Thursday to keep their perfect season alive. They never let Richmond High School for the Arts get on the board and left with a 16-0 victory. The result was nothing new for the Trojans, who have now won eight matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
Lea Foldeneaur and Charlotte Daniels made a splash no matter where they played. On the mound, Foldeneaur pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Daniels pitched 1.1 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up a single walk in eight consecutive appearances. At the plate, Foldeneaur went 1-for-2 with three runs, one double, and one RBI, while Daniels went 1-for-2 with two RBI, one run, and one double. That double was Daniels' first of the season.
In other pitching news, Molly Bozzo looked comfortable as she tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up a single hit in three consecutive appearances.
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Liberty Cooper, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs and three RBI. Those three hits gave her a new career-high. Gabi Horoschak was another key player, getting on base in all three of her plate appearances with three runs.
Midlothian always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .778. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Midlothian's win was their 13th straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 17-0. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.6 runs over those games. As for Manchester, their loss dropped their record down to 9-7.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Manchester has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.5 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Midlothian struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9.4 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
