The Calvert Senecas will head out on the road to take on the St. Joseph Central Catholic Crimson Streaks at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Calvert's pitching crew has only allowed 2.1 runs per game this season, so St. Joseph Central Catholic's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Calvert will bounce into Friday's contest after beating Gibsonburg, who they had gone 0-9 against in their nine prior meetings. The Senecas narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past the Golden Bears 4-2. The win was nothing new for the Senecas as they're now sitting on three straight.
Ava Eilrich made a splash while hitting and pitching. She pitched seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off ten hits. Eilrich was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Eilrich wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Addison King, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Meanwhile, St. Joseph Central Catholic got the win against Old Fort on Wednesday by a conclusive 10-2. The Crimson Streaks might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four matches by eight runs or more this season.
Like Calvert, St. Joseph Central Catholic also got a great game from a two-way player: Stella Thomas. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off six hits. Thomas has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Emma Kelbley, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs and one double. Another player making a difference was Riley Naderer, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
St. Joseph Central Catholic kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in three consecutive games.
Calvert's victory was their eighth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-2. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.6 runs on average over those games. As for St. Joseph Central Catholic, their record is now 5-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Calvert has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 7.6 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like St. Joseph Central Catholic struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 4.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Calvert suffered a grim 14-3 defeat to St. Joseph Central Catholic in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can the Senecas avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
