The Elizabeth Forward Warriors will face off against Oakland Catholic at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Elizabeth Forward has three straight wins, Oakland Catholic has six straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
While Elizabeth Forward's victory against Uniontown wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Warriors sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 4-2 win over the Red Raiders on Wednesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Warriors have posted since June 3, 2024.
Julia Johnson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on five hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Sophie Pasinsky was excellent, going 1-for-2 with one home run and two RBI. Aubri Cimba was another key player, going 1-for-2 with one triple and one run.
Elizabeth Forward hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Uniontown struck out eight times.
Meanwhile, Thursday just wasn't the day for Oakland Catholic's offense. They lost 10-0 to Laurel Highlands on Thursday.
Elizabeth Forward pushed their record up to 7-2 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average over those games. As for Oakland Catholic, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-7.
Oakland Catholic's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Elizabeth Forward has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .498. It's a different story for Oakland Catholic, though, as they've only averaged .341. Will they be able to contain Elizabeth Forward's hitters?
Elizabeth Forward took their win against Oakland Catholic in their previous meeting on Tuesday by a conclusive 15-0 score. Will the Warriors repeat their success, or do Oakland Catholic have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
