The North Schuylkill Spartans will face off against the Valley View Cougars on Thursday. Both teams are coming into the match red-hot, with North Schuylkill sitting on three straight wins and Valley View on ten.
North Schuylkill is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Monday. They walked away with a 16-13 victory over Conwell-Egan Catholic. The pitching woes were uncharacteristic for the Spartans, who until this game were averaging 2.88 runs allowed.
North Schuylkill got a massive performance out of Mallorie Croker, who fired off two home runs, five RBI, and one double while going 3-for-4. Those two home runs gave Croker a new career-high. Gianna Capone was another key player, going 3-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base.
They weren't the only ones working in the home run department: North Schuylkill lost a few balls and finished the game with four home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, while Valley View put up some runs on Monday, the same can't be said for Northern Lebanon. The Cougars won by a run and slipped past the Vikings 1-0. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Cougars have posted since May 3, 2024.
Taylor Cawley was a major factor no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out six over seven innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 21 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one home run.
Cawley wasn't the only one making solid contact as two players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Ella Swingle, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base.
North Schuylkill's record is now 15-2. As for Valley View, their record now sits at 21-2-1.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. North Schuylkill has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .504. However, it's not like Valley View struggles in that department as they've averaged .510. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
