West Linn and Lakeridge are an even 5-5 against one another since April of 2018, but likely not for long. The West Linn Lions will head out on the road to face off against the Lakeridge Pacers at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. West Linn is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.1 runs per game this season.
West Linn is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Oregon's top teams: Oregon City, who was ranked second in their home state at the time (West Linn was ranked fourth). West Linn fell just short of Oregon City by a score of 6-4 on Wednesday.
Avery Wolf spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and five unearned) runs on seven hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, Rylee Gaustad made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. She hasn't dropped below three RBI for three straight games.
Meanwhile, Lakeridge gave up the first runs on Thursday, but they didn't let that get them down. They skirted past Lake Oswego 6-5. The win made it back-to-back victories for Lakeridge.
DELANEY HOYLE made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and three unearned) runs off five hits. HOYLE was also solid in the batter's box, getting three hits from her three at bats.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on HAYDEN BARNEY, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was FINLEY DICKSON, who scored a run while going 2-for-3.
West Linn's loss ended a six-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 20-3. As for Lakeridge, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 15-8 record this season.
West Linn's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's game. West Linn has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.8 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Lakeridge, though, as they've been averaging only 0.7. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will West Linn continue to outrun the ball?
Everything went West Linn's way against Lakeridge when the teams last played last Monday as West Linn made off with a 10-0 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for West Linn since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
