Softball Game Preview: Perry Central Bulldogs vs. Sacred Heart Crusaders

The Perry Central Bulldogs will face off against the Sacred Heart Crusaders at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

If Perry Central beats Sacred Heart with 15 runs on Monday, it's going to be the squad's new lucky number: they've won their past two matches with that exact score. The Bulldogs were the clear victors by a 15-2 margin over Our Lady Academy on Friday. Winning may never get old, but the Bulldogs sure are getting used to it with their fourth in a row.

Perry Central got a massive performance out of Peyton Merrill, who scored three runs and stole three bases while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. That's the most runs Merrill has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Rylen Hinton, who scored two runs while going 4-for-4.

Perry Central kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 17 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 5.5 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 contests they've averaged 10.6.

Meanwhile, Sacred Heart got themselves on the board against Richton on Friday, but Richton never followed suit. They put the hurt on the Rebels with a sharp 15-0 win. The victory was nothing new for the Crusaders as they're now sitting on three straight.

Jana Phillips was a standout: she scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. She has been hot, having posted at least one stolen base the last seven times she's played. Julia Adams was another key player, going 3-for-4 with five RBI and one stolen base.

Sacred Heart's win was their eighth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 12-2. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games. As for Perry Central, their win bumped their record up to 10-8-1.

Monday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Perry Central has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .611. However, it's not like Sacred Heart struggles in that department as they've averaged .501. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.