The John Paul II Catholic Saints will venture away from home to face off against the New Bern Bears at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. John Paul II Catholic is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 10.5 runs per game this season.
John Paul II Catholic's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Thursday. They were the clear victors by a 10-0 margin over Bethel Christian Academy. The result was nothing new for the Saints, who have now won five games by eight runs or more so far this season.
Logan Smith
| 04/03/25 @ Bethel Christian Academy | 8 |
| 03/31/25 vs Southside | 5 |
| 03/31/25 vs Southside | 11 |
| 03/27/25 vs Wayne Christian | 9 |
| 03/25/25 @ Wayne Christian | 10 |
Logan Smith made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out eight over six innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Bailey Tyndall, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one double. Another player making a difference was Natalie Velleman, who went 1-for-4 with one home run and two RBI.
John Paul II Catholic kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They are 7-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, New Bern gave up the first runs on Thursday, but they didn't let that get them down. They won by a run and slipped past Pamlico County 3-2. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Bears have posted against the Hurricanes since March 16, 2016.
Molly McGuire spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on eight hits and racked up 14 Ks.
At the plate, New Bern saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Madison Game, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
John Paul II Catholic is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six contests. That's provided a massive bump to their 9-5-1 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.8 runs over those games. As for New Bern, their record is now 11-2.
Both John Paul II Catholic and New Bern just can't seem to miss. The Saints have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10.9 hits per game. However, it's not like New Bern struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 4.2 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
