Softball Game Preview: Boswell Pioneers vs. John Paul II Cardinals

The Boswell Pioneers will venture away from home to take on the John Paul II Cardinals at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average, (Boswell 3.9, John Paul II 2.4) so any runs scored will be well earned.

Boswell fell victim to Mansfield Legacy and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They came up short against the Broncos, falling 8-0. The match marked the first time this year in which the Pioneers were not able to get on the board.

Meanwhile, John Paul II came tearing into Tuesday's contest with eight straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8.9 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They never let the Eagles get on the board and left with a 14-0 victory. The result was nothing new for the Cardinals, who have now won nine games by seven runs or more so far this season.

The team relied heavily on Sadie Zipser, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, six RBI, and three runs. Those six RBI gave her a new career-high. Reagan McGraw was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one home run and three RBI.

John Paul II always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .556. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Legacy Christian Academy only posted an OBP of .278.

John Paul II's win was their 18th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 14-1. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.4 runs on average over those games. As for Boswell, their loss dropped their record down to 5-4.

The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Boswell has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like John Paul II struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.