New Castle is 0-3 against Union Area since April of 2022 but things could change on Friday. The Hurricanes will be playing in front of their home fans against the Scotties at 4:00 p.m. The last five games New Castle has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
New Castle took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 8-6 win over Ellwood City. The victory was some much needed relief for the Hurricanes as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.
Zoie Shields spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered six earned runs on nine hits.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Olivia Hood, who fired off two home runs and four RBI while going 2-for-4. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Gabby Mangieri, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.
They weren't the only ones working in the home run department: New Castle lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. They are 6-3 when they post two or more home runs.
Meanwhile, Union Area fought the good fight in their extra-innings game against Chartiers-Houston on Wednesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Buccaneers by a score of 2-1. The Scotties' loss signaled the end of their 13-game winning streak.
Union Area also let their pitcher toss all eight innings and she was also dialed-in: Mia Preuhs gave up just two earned runs on nine hits and racked up 11 Ks. Preuhs has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in 12 consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Olivia Williams was cooking despite her team's loss, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with one double.
New Castle's win bumped their record up to 9-10. As for Union Area, their defeat dropped their record down to 16-2.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. New Castle has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Union Area struggles in that department as they've been averaging 4.3 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
New Castle might still be hurting after the 18-12 loss they got from Union Area when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Hurricanes avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
