Perry Central hasn't had much luck against St. Patrick recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Bulldogs will head out on the road to face off against the Fighting Irish at 6:30 p.m. Perry Central is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last six games.
While Perry Central's win against Tylertown wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Bulldogs sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 8-6 victory over the Chiefs on Thursday.
Kenlynn Hinton was a major factor no matter where she played. She struck out eight batters over 3.2 innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits. Hinton was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing four bases while going 1-for-3. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Rylen Hinton was a standout: she scored two runs and stole three bases while going 3-for-3. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in February. Another player making a difference was Macy Sylvester, who scored three runs and stole two bases while getting on base in three of her five plate appearances.
Perry Central always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .583. That was just more of the same: they've now posted an OBP of .538 or higher in five consecutive games.
Meanwhile, St. Patrick got themselves on the board against Tylertown on Tuesday, but Tylertown never followed suit. They put the hurt on the Chiefs with a sharp 17-0 win. The Fighting Irish haven't had any issues with the Chiefs recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive victory against them.
Ave DiFilippo looked comfortable as she tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, St. Patrick got a big performance out of Victoria Barhonovich, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-2. That hit was Barhonovich's first of the season. Elizabeth Colson was another key player, scoring two runs while going 1-for-2.
St. Patrick's record now sits at 12-8. As for Perry Central, they pushed their record up to 12-8-1 with the win, which was their third straight at home.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Perry Central hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .420. However, it's not like St. Patrick struggles in that department as they've averaged .341. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Perry Central might still be hurting after the 15-2 defeat they got from St. Patrick when the teams last played back in March. Can the Bulldogs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
