The Blue Mountain Eagles will challenge Pope John Paul II at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Blue Mountain is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Monday. They never let Central Columbia get on the board and left with a 6-0 win. The victory was nothing new for the Eagles as they're now sitting on four straight.
The result came thanks to Emily Leonard's shutout, as she gave up just a hit and racked up seven Ks. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.
Addyson Fishburn
| 06/01/26 vs Central Columbia | 1 |
| 05/27/26 vs North Schuylkill | 2 |
| 05/22/26 vs Palmerton | 1 |
| 05/20/26 vs Tamaqua | 2 |
On the hitting side, Addyson Fishburn and Dashawna Vincent did most of the damage at the plate: Fishburn went 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI, while Vincent went 2-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base. Fishburn has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last four times she's played. Another player making a difference was Karley Koch, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
Meanwhile, Pope John Paul II got the win against Science Leadership Academy on Monday by a conclusive 12-2. That's two games straight that Pope John Paul II has won by exactly ten runs.
Pope John Paul II also got a great performance from Gianna Forte as she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over five innings pitched.
At the plate, Sophia Benincasa was a standout: she went a perfect 4-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in April. Molly McCarthy was another key player, going 1-for-2 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI.
Pope John Paul II always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .562. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive games.
Blue Mountain's record is now 24-2. As for Pope John Paul II, their record now sits at 13-9.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Blue Mountain has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .485. However, it's not like Pope John Paul II struggles in that department as they've averaged .444. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Blue Mountain got the 'W' in their previous meeting back in June of 2024 against Pope John Paul II by a conclusive 13-3 score. Will the Eagles repeat their success, or do Pope John Paul II have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
