vs
| 05/07/24 - Home | 14-4 W |
| 05/07/24 - Home | 17-0 W |
| 05/11/23 - Away | 13-4 W |
| 05/11/23 - Away | 12-7 W |
| 04/13/21 - Away | 9-10 L |
| + 5 more games |
Lakeland has gone 8-2 against Walled Lake Central recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Eagles are taking a road trip to square off against the Vikings at 4:00 p.m. One thing working in Lakeland's favor is that they have posted at least ten runs in their last four games.
16 must be Lakeland's lucky number: they beat Kettering with that score not once but twice on Tuesday. The Eagles beat the Captains by the very same score they won with in their prior game: 16-1. The Eagles haven't had any issues with the Captains recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive victory against them.
Meredith Peterson made a splash no matter where she played. She tossed three innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up a single walk in five consecutive appearances. She was even better at the plate, getting on base in all three of her plate appearances with three runs, three RBI, and one double. Those three RBI gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Alyssa Goldman was a standout: she went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, two RBI, and one double. Emma Hewitt also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Lakeland always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .714. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in five consecutive matches.
While Walled Lake Central didn't have the best season last year (they finished 2-13), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They skirted past Walled Lake Western 8-6. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Vikings have posted against the Warriors since May 22, 2018.
Katelynn Cole spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and four unearned) runs on nine hits.
On the hitting side, Walled Lake Central let Taylor Combs and Izabel Mehta run wild. Combs went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs, while Mehta went 3-for-4 with two triples, three runs, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Bella Spellman, who went 3-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
Walled Lake Central has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 5-2 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.2 runs over those games. As for Lakeland, their record is now 6-2.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Lakeland has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .536. However, it's not like Walled Lake Central struggles in that department as they've averaged .436. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Lakeland's way against Walled Lake Central in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, as Lakeland made off with a 14-4 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Eagles since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
