vs
| 05/27/22 - Home | 16-5 W |
| 05/27/22 - Home | 16-5 W |
| 05/10/22 - Away | 18-0 W |
| 05/18/21 - Home | 11-2 W |
| 05/18/21 - Home | 10-9 W |
| + 3 more games |
North Pole is 7-1 against Monroe Catholic since April of 2021 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Patriots will take on the Rams at 5:30 p.m. North Pole has given up an average of 14.5 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
While North Pole's win against Hutchison wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Patriots sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 13-11 victory over the Hawks on Wednesday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Patriots.
North Pole let Baylee Borgen and Jordi Darby run wild. Borgen got on base in three of her four plate appearances with three RBI and two runs, while Darby got on base in four of her five plate appearances with three runs and one double. Fiene Boeger also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Meanwhile, Monroe Catholic faced West Valley in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Tuesday. The Rams fell just short of the Wolf Pack by a score of 9-7.
Anya Chernich put in work while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and seven unearned) runs off four hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Leyton Cortez made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and one stolen base. Francesca Yanish was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one triple and one double.
Monroe Catholic has been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 6-3 record this season. Those losses can't be blamed on the team's hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.8 runs over those games. As for North Pole, their win bumped their record up to 4-9.
Thursday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. North Pole has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .480. However, it's not like Monroe Catholic struggles in that department as they've averaged .627. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went North Pole's way against Monroe Catholic in their previous matchup back in May of 2022, as North Pole made off with a 16-5 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Patriots since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
