Pope John Paul II will take on the Northwestern Lehigh Tigers at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Pope John Paul II's pitching crew has only allowed 2.9 runs per game this season, so Northwestern Lehigh's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Pope John Paul II is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup last Friday. They walked away with a 7-3 victory over Springfield Township. The win made it back-to-back victories for Pope John Paul II.
AJ Diaddezio made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
In other batting news, Blaise Desanto was excellent, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two stolen bases and three runs. That's the most hits he has posted since back in April. Carson Glose was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Pope John Paul II hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Springfield Township struck out seven times.
Tamaqua typically has all the answers at home, but on Thursday Northwestern Lehigh proved too difficult a challenge. They came out on top against the Blue Raiders by a score of 11-6. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Tigers considering their two-run performance the match before.
Like Pope John Paul II, Northwestern Lehigh also got a great game from a two-way player: Cole Dynda. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching 6.1 innings while giving up three earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. Dynda was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Eli Zimmerman, who got on base in three of his five plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Nolan Fitzgerald, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Pope John Paul II's record is now 17-4. As for Northwestern Lehigh, their record now sits at 20-5.
Monday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Pope John Paul II has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .480. However, it's not like Northwestern Lehigh struggles in that department as they've averaged .461. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
