The Eastside Catholic Crusaders will square off against the Lincoln Lynx at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. Eastside Catholic is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.8 runs per game this season.
Eastside Catholic will bounce into Monday's game after beating Holy Names Academy, who they had gone 1-8 against in their nine prior meetings. The Crusaders blew past Holy Names Academy 12-4 last Monday. That's two games straight that the Crusaders have won by exactly eight runs.
Elysse Williams made a splash no matter where she played. She tossed seven innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off five hits. Williams was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Maicey Woolston, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and one stolen base. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. Hadlie Delucchi was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one double.
Eastside Catholic was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .438. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their batting average total in five consecutive matches.
Garfield hit Lincoln with a four-run first inning on Thursday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Lynx came up short against the Bulldogs, falling 12-4. The Lynx have struggled against the Bulldogs recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive lost meeting.
Dakota Blokker made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and one double. Anaya Goldberg also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Lincoln's loss dropped their record down to 4-8. As for Eastside Catholic, their victory ended a four-game drought at home and bumped them up to 6-10.
Monday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Eastside Catholic has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .446. However, it's not like Lincoln struggles in that department as they've averaged .458. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Eastside Catholic might still be hurting after the 14-4 defeat they got from Lincoln when the teams last played back in March. Will the Crusaders have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
