The Southern Lehigh Spartans will head out to square off against the Pen Argyl Green Knights at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Southern Lehigh took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. They put the hurt on Wilson Area with a sharp 14-2 win. The Spartans haven't had any issues with the Warriors recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive victory against them.
Delaney Young was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She pitched five innings while giving up just two earned runs off six hits. Young was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-2.
In other batting news, Isabella Germani was a standout: she scored two runs and stole three bases while going 1-for-3. Those three stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Lila Padden also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Southern Lehigh always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .600. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Wilson Area only posted an OBP of .333.
Meanwhile, Pen Argyl waltzed into their match on Wednesday with three straight wins... but they left with four. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Slaters an 8-0 shutout. The Green Knights' pitching crew has been rock solid lately; the team hasn't given up a run in their last four contests.
The result came thanks to Jillian Bradley's shutout, as she gave up just three hits and racked up 11 Ks. She has been consistent : she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts any time she's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, Abby Scherer was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Madacyn Snyder was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
Pen Argyl's win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 6-2. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.3 runs on average over those games. As for Southern Lehigh, their record now sits at 6-3.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Southern Lehigh hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .446. However, it's not like Pen Argyl struggles in that department as they've averaged .346. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Southern Lehigh beat Pen Argyl 6-2 in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Spartans since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
