The Berkeley Prep Buccaneers will head out to challenge the Bishop Verot Vikings at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Berkeley Prep will be looking to extend their current five-game winning streak.
Berkeley Prep is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. They came out on top against Lake Placid by a score of 4-0. The Buccaneers' pitching crew has been rock solid lately; the team hasn't given up a run in their last five matches.
Lake Placid's batters probably weren't too happy with Avery Powers, who pitched a no hitter and racked up 16 Ks (she gave up a single walk). Powers has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in seven consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Berkeley Prep saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Mackenzie Crerand, who went 1-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Bishop Verot made easy work of Avon Park on Wednesday and carried off a 12-2 win. The result was nothing new for the Vikings, who have now won 12 games by six runs or more so far this season.
Paige Bettermann was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out seven over five innings pitched. Bettermann was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Bishop Verot let McKenna Robbins and Jaelyn Riley run wild. Robbins went 3-for-4 with three runs, one triple, and one stolen base, while Riley went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Willa Pagnutti, who got on base in two of her four plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
Bishop Verot always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .516. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Avon Park only posted an OBP of .364.
Bishop Verot's victory was their ninth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 17-7. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.2 runs over those games. As for Berkeley Prep, their record is now 15-9.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Berkeley Prep has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.5 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Bishop Verot struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
