The King's Academy Lions will square off against the John Carroll Catholic Rams at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (King's Academy 2.9, John Carroll Catholic 3) so any runs scored will be well earned.
King's Academy is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They came out on top against Oxbridge Academy by a score of 4-1.
Caroline Duncan spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on five hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Gracyn Needle, who went 2-for-3 with one triple, one stolen base, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Lyla Diblasi, who went 1-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, John Carroll Catholic came tearing into Tuesday's matchup with ten straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 6 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They walked away with a 6-3 win over the Crusaders.
John Carroll Catholic also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Isabella Ramirez gave up three earned runs on four hits.
At the plate, Mikale Lemons and Mackenzie Mostoller did most of the damage at the plate: Lemons went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI, while Mostoller went 2-for-3 with four RBI and one double. That's the most RBI Mostoller has posted since back in March of 2024. Samantha Rychter was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two runs and one double.
John Carroll Catholic kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Cardinal Newman only managed four hits.
King's Academy's victory bumped their record up to 15-5. As for John Carroll Catholic, their win bumped their record up to 21-4.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. King's Academy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .499. However, it's not like John Carroll Catholic struggles in that department as they've averaged .450. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
King's Academy took their victory against John Carroll Catholic in their previous meeting back in April of 2022 by a conclusive 10-4 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Lions since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
