Wilson Area and Notre Dame-Green Pond are an even 5-5 against one another since May of 2019, but likely not for long. The Warriors will welcome the Crusaders at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. Wilson Area is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.8 runs per game this season.
Wilson Area took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. Everything went their way against Notre Dame as they made off with a 12-2 victory. The win continues a trend for the Warriors in their matchups with the Spartans: they've now won five in a row.
Liam Coyle made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out ten batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off one hit. Those ten strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also big at the plate, firing off two home runs, six RBI, and three runs while going 2-for-3. He is becoming a predictor of Wilson Area's success: when he posts at least three RBI the team is undefeated (and 5-10 when he doesn't).
Braden Benevides
| 05/01/25 vs Notre Dame | 3 |
| 04/28/25 @ Moravian Academy | 2 |
| 04/16/25 @ Notre Dame | 1 |
| 03/31/25 vs Bangor | 1 |
| 03/19/25 vs Palisades | 1 |
In other batting news, Braden Benevides was incredible, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with three stolen bases, three runs, and one double. Those three stolen bases gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Dylan Penyak, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two RBI and one run.
Wilson Area always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .629. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Notre Dame only posted an OBP of .158.
The home team had won the previous four meetings between Notre Dame-Green Pond and North Schuylkill, and Notre Dame-Green Pond kept the tradition alive. The Crusaders narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past the Spartans 9-8.
The team relied heavily on Michael Wachter, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with one stolen base and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Connor Albert, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.
Notre Dame-Green Pond is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-8 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.0 runs over those games. As for Wilson Area, their victory bumped their record up to 9-10.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Monday as neither team is afraid to steal. Wilson Area has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Notre Dame-Green Pond struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 2.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Wilson Area suffered a grim 10-3 defeat to Notre Dame-Green Pond when the teams last played back in April. Will the Warriors 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.
