The Mentor Cardinals will face off against the Chardon Hilltoppers at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Mentor will be looking to extend their current eight-game winning streak.
It was a proper cat-fight when Mentor took on Cleveland Heights on Wednesday. The Cardinals' pitchers stepped up to hand the Tigers a 19-0 shutout. The Cardinals might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine matches by six runs or more this season.
Maggie Haydu made a splash while hitting and pitching. She pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two hits in five consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one home run and three RBI.
In other batting news, Chy Harville was a standout: she went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, two triples, and five RBI. Those two triples gave her a new career-high. Maddie Toledo also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Mentor kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 13 hits in four consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Chardon gave up the first runs on Wednesday, but they didn't let that get them down. They were the clear victors by a 13-1 margin over Mayfield.
Like Mentor, Chardon also got a great game from a two-way player: Caitlin Seamon. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run over five innings pitched. Seamon was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run.
In other batting news, Chardon got a massive performance out of Emma Anderson, who went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Gwen Boyle, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple.
Mentor's win was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 14-7. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Chardon, their win ended a four-game drought on the road and puts them at 11-9.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Mentor hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .353. However, it's not like Chardon struggles in that department as they've averaged .328. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Mentor might still be hurting after the 10-4 loss they got from Chardon in their previous matchup back in April of 2023. Can the Cardinals avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
