Softball Game Preview: Morris Knolls Golden Eagles vs. Pope John XXIII

Morris Knolls has gone 8-2 against Pope John XXIII recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Monday. The Golden Eagles will head out on the road to face off against Pope John XXIII at 4:00 p.m. Both teams are coming into the game red-hot, with Morris Knolls sitting on 13 straight victories and Pope John XXIII on five.

Morris Knolls had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the seven-run drubbing they dealt Montville on Saturday. The Golden Eagles put the hurt on the Mustangs with a sharp 9-2 win.

Meanwhile, Pope John XXIII won against West Morris Central on Thursday with seven runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Saturday. Pope John XXIII narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past North Hunterdon 7-6. The game was the first time Pope John XXIII has beaten North Hunterdon on their field since April 13, 2022.

Morris Knolls pushed their record up to 14-3 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.2 runs over those games. As for Pope John XXIII, their win bumped their record up to 12-3.

Morris Knolls was able to grind out a solid victory over Pope John XXIII when the teams last played back in April, winning 6-3. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Golden Eagles since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.