The Maynard Tigers will face off against the Advanced Math & Science Academy Eagles at 3:45 p.m. on Thursday. Both teams are coming into the game red-hot, with Maynard sitting on seven straight victories and Advanced Math & Science Academy on three.
It was a proper cat-fight when Maynard took on Ayer Shirley on Wednesday. The Tigers' pitcher stepped up to hand the Panthers a 13-0 shutout. The result was nothing new for the Tigers, who have now won five contests by seven runs or more so far this season.
Jillian Macfarlane made a splash no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with two RBI and one run. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in May of 2024.
Haley Carroll
| 04/30/25 vs Ayer Shirley | 3 |
| 04/09/25 vs Tahanto Regional | 2 |
| 06/02/24 vs Mohawk Trail Regional | 2 |
| 05/15/24 @ Shawsheen Valley Tech | 2 |
| 05/04/24 @ Narragansett Regional | 2 |
In other batting news, Haley Carroll was a standout: she went 1-for-2 with three runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. Those three runs gave her a new career-high. Elizabeth Schmidt was another key player, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases and two runs.
Maynard was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .520. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .371 or higher in five consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Advanced Math & Science Academy made easy work of Littleton on Wednesday and carried off a 15-2 win. The Eagles might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight games by ten runs or more this season.
Like Maynard, Advanced Math & Science Academy also got a great game from a two-way player: Ava McLeod. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off two hits (and only one walk). McLeod was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one home run and four RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Brooke Laudate, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one double. That double was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Kathleen Galvin, who went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Advanced Math & Science Academy pushed their record up to 8-1 with the victory, which was their 16th straight at home dating back to last season. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average over those games. As for Maynard, their record is now 8-1.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Maynard hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .385. However, it's not like Advanced Math & Science Academy struggles in that department as they've averaged .452. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Maynard might still be hurting after the 15-1 defeat they got from Advanced Math & Science Academy when the teams last played back in May of 2022. Can the Tigers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
