Softball Preview: Millard North Mustangs vs. Marian Crusaders
The Millard North Mustangs will be staying on the road on Tuesday to face off against the Marian Crusaders. Millard North's pitching crew has only allowed 2.9 runs per game this season, so Marian's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Millard North is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They put the hurt on Pius X with a sharp 18-3 win on Friday. The result was nothing new for the Mustangs, who have now won three games by eight runs or more so far this season.
Millard North got a great performance from Jayda Juarez as she tossed five innings while giving up three earned runs off only two hits. Juarez has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, Hayden Nelson was incredible, firing off two home runs, five RBI, and three runs while going 2-for-3. The team also got some help courtesy of Abby Beard, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with a home run and two runs.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Millard North always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .600. The last time their OBP was this high was back in October of 2023.
Meanwhile, Marian was able to grind out a solid victory over Westview on Tuesday, taking the game 4-1. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Crusaders.
Sadie Klinetobe made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits (and only one walk). Klinetobe was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with a home run. That home run marked the first that she's launched this season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Aubrey Mueting, who went 1-for-2 with a home run. Adele Tompsett also deserves some recognition as she hit her first hit of the season.
Millard North's record is now 5-3. As for Marian, the win also got them back to even at 3-3.
Millard North skirted past Marian 5-4 when the teams last played back in September of 2023. The rematch might be a little tougher for Millard North since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
