Chardon is on a four-game streak of home wins, while Mentor is on a four-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Hilltoppers will host the Cardinals at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Chardon gave up the first runs on Wednesday, but they didn't let that get them down. Everything went their way against Mayfield as they made off with a 13-1 win.
Caitlin Seamon made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. Seamon was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run.
In other batting news, Emma Anderson was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Gwen Boyle, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple.
Chardon was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .533. They are 6-1 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Mentor got themselves on the board against Cleveland Heights on Wednesday, but Cleveland Heights never followed suit. They put the hurt on the Tigers with a sharp 19-0 victory. The result was nothing new for the Cardinals, who have now won nine matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
Like Chardon, Mentor also got a great game from a two-way player: Maggie Haydu. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Haydu has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two hits in five consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one home run and three RBI.
In other batting news, Mentor got a massive performance out of Chy Harville, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, two triples, and five RBI. Those five RBI gave Harville a new career-high. Maddie Toledo was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three runs, four RBI, and one triple.
Mentor is on a roll lately: they've won ten of their last 11 games. That's provided a nice bump to their 14-7 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.1 runs over those games. As for Chardon, their victory ended a four-game drought on the road and puts them at 11-9.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Chardon hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .328. However, it's not like Mentor struggles in that department as they've averaged .353. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Chardon's way against Mentor when the teams last played back in April of 2023, as Chardon made off with a 10-4 win. Do the Hilltoppers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Cardinals turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
