The Johnstown-Monroe Johnnies will square off against the Bishop Hartley Hawks at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Last Thursday, Johnstown-Monroe came up short against Highland and fell 15-10. The Johnnies have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Brooklyn Wood and Jenna Hochanadel did some serious damage despite the final result: Wood scored two runs while going 1-for-4, while Hochanadel went 1-for-3 with one triple and one run. The team also got some help courtesy of Addy Zak, who went 2-for-5 with one double and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Bishop Hartley hadn't done well against Bishop Watterson recently (they were 0-9 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Wednesday. The Hawks came out on top against the Eagles by a score of 13-8. While the Hawks didn't have the best season last year (they finished 7-15), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
The team relied heavily on Morgan Bailey, who went 3-for-5 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Anaya Bumpus, who scored three runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-4.
Bishop Hartley kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Bishop Watterson only managed five hits.
The victory made it two in a row for Bishop Hartley and bumps their season record up to 8-2. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 16.0 runs over those games. As for Johnstown-Monroe, they now have a losing record of 1-2.
Thursday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Johnstown-Monroe has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .433. However, it's not like Bishop Hartley struggles in that department as they've averaged .488. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Johnstown-Monroe couldn't quite get it done against Bishop Hartley in their previous meeting back in April of 2019 as they fell 13-9. Will the Johnnies 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.
