The Calvert Senecas will challenge the Lakota Raiders at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Lakota will be up against a hot Calvert team: the squad just extended their winning streak to five. The Senecas were the clear victors by an 8-1 margin over Hopewell-Loudon on Saturday. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Senecas have posted against the Chieftains since April 12, 2023.
Logan Ritzler spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on three hits and racked up 13 Ks. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Calvert let Charlie Palm and Connor Moyer run wild. Palm went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double, while Moyer went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. The team also got some help courtesy of Cameron Moyer, who went 1-for-4 with one home run.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Calvert kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 11 hits in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Lakota, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Monday. They put the hurt on Old Fort with a sharp 15-4 victory on Wednesday. With that win, the Raiders brought their scoring average up to 6.2 runs per game.
Grant Scherger made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Scherger was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. That's the most runs he has posted since back in April.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Brady Kern, who went 1-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in April. AJ Gosche was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Calvert's victory bumped their record up to 15-1. As for Lakota, their win bumped their record up to 10-6.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Monday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Calvert has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Lakota struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.5 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Everything went Calvert's way against Lakota when the teams last played back in April, as Calvert made off with a 13-0 victory. Will the Senecas repeat their success, or do the Raiders have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
