Alexandria-Monroe hasn't had much luck against Lapel recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Tigers will host the Bulldogs at 5:00 p.m. Alexandria-Monroe is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.2 runs per game this season.
Alexandria-Monroe is headed into Friday's match looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their third straight game on Thursday. They fell 4-1 to Frankton.
Alexandria-Monroe saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Trevor Martin, who went 1-for-2 with one RBI.
Meanwhile, Lapel had already won five in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 10 runs) and they went ahead and made it six on Thursday. They put the hurt on the Huskies with a sharp 10-3 win. Considering the Bulldogs have won 11 contests by more than six runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Gavin Rushton spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on five hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Camden Novak, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and two RBI. That home run was his first of the season. The team also got some help courtesy of Rylie Hudson, who went 1-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.
Lapel always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .543. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Hamilton Heights only posted an OBP of .207.
Lapel pushed their record up to 16-1 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 15.0 runs over those games. As for Alexandria-Monroe, their loss dropped their record down to 11-8.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Alexandria-Monroe has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.5 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Lapel struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5.4 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Alexandria-Monroe couldn't quite get it done against Lapel when the teams last played back in April as they fell 7-3. Can the Tigers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
