Goshen Central hasn't had much luck against Minisink Valley recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Gladiators are taking a road trip to square off against the Warriors at 7:00 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Goshen Central 3.1, Minisink Valley 2.7) so any runs scored will be well earned.
On Sunday, Goshen Central made easy work of Warwick and carried off a 9-3 victory. The result was nothing new for the Gladiators, who have now won seven matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
Addison Freiberger spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on five hits and racked up six Ks.
At the plate, Sophia Springer was incredible, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI. That triple marked the first that she has hit this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Marley Northrup, who went 1-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Goshen Central was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .400. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Warwick only posted a batting average of .192.
Meanwhile, Minisink Valley waltzed into their contest on Tuesday with eight straight wins... but they left with nine. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 3-2 W against the Vikings.
Minisink Valley also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Emily Smith gave up only one earned (and one unearned) run on six hits and racked up six Ks. Smith has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Minisink Valley saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kiera Barry, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Goshen Central is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven games. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-3 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.6 runs over those games. As for Minisink Valley, they pushed their record up to 12-2 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home.
Monday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Goshen Central hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .363. However, it's not like Minisink Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .332. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Goshen Central might still be hurting after the 10-3 defeat they got from Minisink Valley when the teams last played back in April. Can the Gladiators avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
