The Pulaski Red Raiders will look to take advantage of their home field for the first time this season as they take on the Manitowoc Lincoln Ships at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Pulaski 3, Manitowoc Lincoln 2.8) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Things were looking good for Pulaski after they put the first runs on the board on Tuesday, but unfortunately for them things went downhill from there. They fell just short of De Pere by a score of 6-5.
Pulaski saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Michael Molthen, who scored a run while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Bryce Wotruba also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Meanwhile, Manitowoc Lincoln strolled into their game on Tuesday with a perfect record and they left with the same. They never let Ashwaubenon get on the board and left with a 13-0 victory.
Brayden Steinbecker made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out six over five innings pitched. Steinbecker was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Vance Schroeder, who fired off two home runs and four RBI while going 2-for-4. Those two home runs gave him a new career-high. Benson Dickrell was another key player, scoring three runs while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances.
Manitowoc Lincoln always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .567. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Ashwaubenon only posted an OBP of .176.
Manitowoc Lincoln's win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 5-0. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.5 runs over those games. As for Pulaski, their defeat dropped their record down to 5-2.
Both Pulaski and Manitowoc Lincoln just can't seem to miss. The Red Raiders have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.7 hits per game. However, it's not like Manitowoc Lincoln struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 5 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Pulaski might still be hurting after the 8-1 loss they got from Manitowoc Lincoln in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Can the Red Raiders avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
