Paul VI hasn't had much luck against St. Mary's Ryken recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Panthers will square off against the Knights at 4:00 p.m. Paul VI is coming into the game hot, having won their last five games.
Paul VI is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victors by a 22-1 margin over The Academy of the Holy Cross on Monday. The Panthers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven matches by six runs or more this season.
Elizabeth Sullivan was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She struck out 11 batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits (and only one walk). She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than one walk in five consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
In other batting news, Natalie Monroe was a standout: she went 2-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, and one triple. McKenna Drawbaugh was another key player, scoring three runs while going 2-for-2.
Paul VI was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .500. The last time their batting average was this high was back in March of 2024.
Meanwhile, St. Mary's Ryken faced Huntingtown in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Saturday. The Knights came out on top in a nail-biter against the Hurricanes, sneaking past 2-0. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Knights.
Not much got past Emmaleigh Zagrodnichek, who gave up just two hits and racked up 16 Ks to keep Huntingtown off the board.
On the hitting side, St. Mary's Ryken's win was truly a team effort as three different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Myla Harding, who went 2-for-3 with one RBI. That RBI was Harding's first of the season.
St. Mary's Ryken's record is now 6-3. As for Paul VI, they now have a winning record of 7-6.
Tuesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Paul VI hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .320. However, it's not like St. Mary's Ryken struggles in that department as they've averaged .369. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Paul VI suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to St. Mary's Ryken in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can the Panthers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
