Liberty Christian is on a nine-game streak of home wins (dating back to last season), while DeSales is on a five-game streak of away wins (also dating back to last season): one of those streaks is about to end. The Patriots will host the Irish at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Liberty Christian's pitching crew heads into the match hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Saturday. They put the hurt on Sunnyside Christian with a sharp 10-0 win.
Megan Butcher was incredible, firing off two home runs and three runs while going 2-for-3. Those home runs marked the first that she launched this season. Another player making a difference was Mady Getchell, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-4.
Butcher wasn't the only one making solid contact: Liberty Christian kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 11 hits in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, DeSales got the win against Colton last Friday by a conclusive 15-7. The victory continues a trend for the Irish in their matchups with the Wildcats: they've now won six in a row.
Abi Guest and Addison Mason made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, Guest didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out seven over four innings pitched. Meanwhile, Mason pitched three innings while giving up just one earned (and four unearned) runs off two hits. Guest has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. At the plate, Guest scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-5, while Mason scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-5. Those three runs gave Mason a new career-high.
In other batting news, Roslyn Block was a standout: she scored four runs and stole two bases while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. Theresa Holtzinger was another key player, going 3-for-5 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base.
Liberty Christian's win was their first in the district, bumping their district record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 5-4. As for DeSales, their victory bumped their record up to 12-1-1.
Monday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Liberty Christian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .480. However, it's not like DeSales struggles in that department as they've averaged .546. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Liberty Christian suffered a grim 12-5 defeat to DeSales when the teams last played back in March. Will the Patriots have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
