The Mahanoy Area Golden Bears will venture away from home to face off against the Blue Mountain Eagles at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Mahanoy Area has given up an average of 6.8 runs per game this season, but Tuesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Mahanoy Area is headed into the contest having just suffered their biggest defeat since May 8, 2024 on Thursday. They lost 20-8 to Panther Valley. The loss was the Golden Bears' first of the season.
Ella Connolly led a balanced group of hitters, scoring a run while going 2-for-3. Urijah Fazio also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Connolly wasn't the only one working in the hit department: Mahanoy Area kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their hit total in three consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, Blue Mountain made easy work of North Schuylkill on Thursday and carried off an 11-3 victory. The Eagles might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four games by eight runs or more this season.
Emily Leonard spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three runs (all of which were unearned) on nine hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Blue Mountain let Addyson Fishburn and Anna Borden run wild. Fishburn scored three runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-4, while Borden went a perfect 1-for-1 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Emmerson Frie, who went 2-for-5 with one home run and two RBI.
Blue Mountain pushed their record up to 4-1 with the win, which was their ninth straight on the road dating back to last season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.6 runs on average over those games. As for Mahanoy Area, their loss was their first of the season and makes their record 3-1.
Tuesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Mahanoy Area hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .340. However, it's not like Blue Mountain struggles in that department as they've averaged .439. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
