Baseball Game Preview: Bethlehem Catholic Hawks vs. Pleasant Valley Bears

The Bethlehem Catholic Hawks will challenge the Pleasant Valley Bears at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Bethlehem Catholic has given up an average of 6.8 runs per game this season, but Monday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Easton Area hit Bethlehem Catholic with a six-run seventh inning on Tuesday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Hawks fell just short of the Rovers by a score of 11-9. Hawks fans who chose to attend the game sure picked the wrong one: it was the first time the team's lost against the Rovers since on Tuesday.

Joseph Casciano was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he tossed 5.2 innings while giving up three earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. What's more, he gave up only two walks, the fewest he's had since back in June of 2024.

On the hitting side, Phil Taylor and Joey Richards did some serious damage despite the final result: Taylor went 1-for-4 with one home run and four RBI, while Richards got on base in three of his four plate appearances with one home run and two runs. That home run was Taylor's first of the season. Caden Deegan was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one home run.

Meanwhile, Pleasant Valley was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their third straight loss. They lost 12-2 to Nazareth Area. That's two games in a row now that the Bears have lost by exactly ten runs.

Pleasant Valley saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Jake Procita, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one run.

Pleasant Valley's defeat dropped their record down to 3-9. As for Bethlehem Catholic, their loss dropped their record down to 6-6.

Bethlehem Catholic beat Pleasant Valley 5-1 in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Do the Hawks have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bears turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.