The Lacey Township Lions will head out on the road to take on the Raritan Rockets at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Both teams are coming into the match red-hot, with Lacey Township sitting on three straight victories and Raritan on seven.
Lacey Township barely beat Point Pleasant Beach the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Lions blew past the Garnet Gulls 17-5 on Thursday. That 12 run margin sets a new team best for the Lions this season.
Bella Byk
| 04/17/25 @ Point Pleasant Beach | 10 |
| 04/14/25 vs Point Pleasant Beach | 14 |
| 04/03/25 vs Barnegat | 16 |
| 03/26/25 @ Manalapan | 9 |
Bella Byk made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out ten batters over six innings while giving up five earned runs off eight hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than nine strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. Those runs were her first of the season.
In other batting news, Nicole Scheper was a standout: she fired off two home runs and five RBI while going 3-for-3. She also scored two runs, marking her first of the season. Sophia Capone was another key player, going 4-for-5 with three runs, two doubles, and one stolen base.
Lacey Township always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .579. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Raritan earned a 5-2 win over Manalapan on Thursday.
The team relied heavily on Janelle Clausi, who went 1-for-2 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run.
Raritan's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 7-0. As for Lacey Township, their record now sits at 4-5.
Saturday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Lacey Township hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .342. However, it's not like Raritan struggles in that department as they've averaged .374. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lacey Township skirted past Raritan 3-2 in their previous matchup back in April of 2023. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Lions since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
