Softball Preview: Kennedy Fighting Irish vs. Crean Lutheran Saints
Kennedy is 9-0 against Crean Lutheran since April of 2019, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Tuesday. The Kennedy Fighting Irish will head out on the road to challenge the Crean Lutheran Saints at 3:15 p.m. Both teams come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Kennedy came into Thursday's game having lost three straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They were the clear victor by a 7-1 margin over Valencia. The victory was just what Kennedy needed coming off of a 10-0 loss in their prior contest.
Emory Cheng looked comfortable as she kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out seven over four innings pitched.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Jade Narike, who scored two runs while getting on base in two of her three plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Elyssa Lape?a, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, in what's become a running theme this season, Crean Lutheran gave their fans yet another huge win on Thursday. Everything went their way against Tustin as Crean Lutheran made off with an 11-3 victory. The high-scoring effort was just what Crean Lutheran needed considering they were shutout in their previous match.
Allyson Schmida was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out seven batters over 3.1 innings while giving up no earned run or hits. Schmida has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive pitching appearances. Schmida was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, Ella Smith was incredible, going 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI. Aubrey Olin was another key contributor, scoring two runs while going 2-for-4.
Kennedy's record is now 10-11. As for Crean Lutheran, their record is now 9-10.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Kennedy has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Crean Lutheran struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.3. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Everything went Kennedy's way against Crean Lutheran in their previous meeting back in March as Kennedy made off with a 12-0 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Kennedy since the team 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
