Hancock and Kennedy are an even 4-4 against one another since April of 2017, but likely not for long. The Eagles will be playing at home against the Crusaders at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Hancock will be strutting in after a win while Kennedy will be coming in after a loss.
Hancock is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. Everything went their way against Juarez on Thursday as they made off with a 14-4 victory. The high-scoring effort was just what Hancock needed considering they were shut out in their previous contest.
Isela Garcia made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off six hits (and not a single walk). That's the most strikeouts she has posted since back in March. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Alayna Bentley
| 05/08/25 vs Juarez | 4 |
| 05/05/25 vs Jones | 1 |
| 04/04/25 @ Whitney Young | 1 |
| 04/03/25 @ Northside | 1 |
| 03/21/25 vs Nazareth Academy | 1 |
In other batting news, Alayna Bentley was incredible, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with four runs, one triple, and one stolen base. Those four runs gave her a new career-high. Alex Pinal was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one double.
Hancock always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .688. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Kennedy came up short against Blue Island Eisenhower on Wednesday, falling 13-3. The Crusaders have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Kennedy's defeat dropped their record down to 14-7-1. As for Hancock, their win bumped their record up to 2-11.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Hancock has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Kennedy struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 9.5 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Hancock took their victory against Kennedy when the teams last played back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 21-6 score. Do the Eagles have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Crusaders turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
