Manitowoc Lutheran waltzed into their match on Thursday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They walked away with a 7-3 victory over the Hilbert Wolves. Manitowoc Lutheran had a rough season last year, but they look ready to turn that poor record around this year.
Caden Stanzel was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Stanzel was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while getting on base in two of his four plate appearances. He has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times he's played.
In other pitching news, Brayden Zirbel tossed a big game, pitching five innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off five hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't pitched less than five innings in three consecutive pitching appearances.
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Wesley Hecker, who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Brayden Bennett was another key contributor, scoring a run while going 1-for-2.
On Hilbert's side, Ayden Keuler made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-4 with a home run and a stolen base.
Manitowoc Lutheran's win bumped their record up to 8-2. As for Hilbert, they are on a six-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 2-6.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Manitowoc Lutheran will take on Mishicot at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average, (Mishicot: 3.7, Manitowoc Lutheran: 3.1) so any runs scored will be well earned. As for Hilbert, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Sheboygan Falls at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Sheboygan Falls is coming into the matchup with six straight defeats on the road, meaning Hilbert will have to defend against a squad hungry for a victory.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
