The Milford Spartans are taking a road trip to take on the Laconia Sachems at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. The squads are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Milford has struggled recently with three losses in a row, while Laconia will arrive with four straight victories.
Milford fell victim to Oyster River and their airtight pitching crew on Monday. They lost 9-0 to the Bobcats. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat the Spartans have suffered since May 15, 2024.
Milford saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Mya Coombs, who went 2-for-3 with two doubles.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Laconia). They were the clear victors by a 27-9 margin over Hanover on Wednesday. The team's explosion at the plate also rewarded the Sachems with their most commanding win of the season.
Amaya Dutile made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching five innings while giving up three earned (and six unearned) runs off four hits. Dutile was even better at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. Those two RBI gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Payton Doherty, who went 4-for-6 with four stolen bases, nine RBI, and three runs. Those four stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Kaitlyn Durfee, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three stolen bases, four runs, and three RBI.
Laconia always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .776. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Laconia now has a winning record of 6-5. As for Milford, their loss dropped their record down to 6-4.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Milford has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.1 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Laconia struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Milford took their win against Laconia when the teams last played back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 13-3 score. Will the Spartans repeat their success, or do the Sachems have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
