Lancaster Catholic hasn't had much luck against Annville-Cleona recently, but that could start to change on Wednesday. The Crusaders will be playing in front of their home fans against the Dutchmen at 4:15 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Annville-Cleona will challenge a team with plenty of momentum: Lancaster Catholic extended their winning streak to seven on Monday. The Crusaders' pitcher stepped up to hand Octorara Area a 6-0 shutout.
Kailee Detz made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out seven over seven innings pitched. Detz was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two runs and one double.
In other batting news, Lea Krow and Caitlyn McCoach did most of the damage at the plate: Krow went 2-for-4 with one triple and one run, while McCoach went 2-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base. Paityn Gerz was another key player, going 1-for-2 with two RBI.
Annville-Cleona came out on top against Lancaster Mennonite on Monday thanks in part to the team's impressive eight-run third inning. The Dutchmen blew past the Blazers 15-0.
Like Lancaster Catholic, Annville-Cleona also got a great game from a two-way player: Zoe Miller. On the mound, Miller pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Meanwhile, Temperence Brubaker tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Miller has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 11 consecutive appearances. At bat, Miller went 1-for-2 with two runs, while Brubaker went a perfect 1-for-1 with three RBI, one run, and one double. Those three RBI gave Brubaker a new career-high.
In other batting news, Annville-Cleona let Kaci Potter and Nia Hafey run wild. Potter went 1-for-2 with three RBI, one triple, and one run, while Hafey got on base in all three of her plate appearances with three runs and one stolen base. Those three RBI gave Potter a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Abigail Evans, who went 1-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Lancaster Catholic pushed their record up to 13-2 with the victory, which was their fifth straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.0 runs over those games. As for Annville-Cleona, they are on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-4 record this season.
Wednesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Lancaster Catholic hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .353. However, it's not like Annville-Cleona struggles in that department as they've averaged .359. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lancaster Catholic skirted past Annville-Cleona 10-8 in their previous meeting two weeks ago. Do the Crusaders have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Dutchmen turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
