Nazareth Area is on a seven-game streak of home wins (dating back to last season), while Notre Dame-Green Pond is on a four-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Blue Eagles will welcome the Crusaders at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Nazareth Area's pitching crew heads into the match hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Tuesday. They blew past William Allen 17-0. The Blue Eagles haven't had any issues with the Canaries recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.
Alina Weaver was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She struck out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits (and not a single walk). Weaver was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 1-for-1 with one home run and four RBI.
In other batting news, Avery Dailey was excellent, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-2. Those stolen bases marked the first that she snagged this season. Avery Kauffman was another key player, scoring a run while going 1-for-2.
Nazareth Area was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .529. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .300 or higher every time they've taken the field this season.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame-Green Pond made easy work of Saucon Valley on Friday and carried off a 12-2 victory.
Notre Dame-Green Pond also got a great performance from Rachel Fisher as she pitched five innings while giving up just two earned runs off six hits. Fisher has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up a single walk in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Notre Dame-Green Pond let Hannah Lilly and Riley Palank run wild. Lilly went 2-for-3 with three RBI, one triple, and one run, while Palank went 2-for-4 with four RBI, one triple, and one run. Another player making a difference was Kelsey Bedics, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-1.
Nazareth Area's win bumped their record up to 5-1. As for Notre Dame-Green Pond, their victory bumped their record up to 7-0.
Saturday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Nazareth Area hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .429. However, it's not like Notre Dame-Green Pond struggles in that department as they've averaged .498. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
