The John Carroll Catholic Rams will take on the King's Academy Lions at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. John Carroll Catholic will be looking to extend their current 11-game winning streak.
John Carroll Catholic is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They came out on top against Cardinal Newman by a score of 6-3.
Isabella Ramirez spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered 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. The team also got some help courtesy of Samantha Rychter, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and one double.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: 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.
Meanwhile, King's Academy hadn't done well against Oxbridge Academy recently (they were 0-9 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. The Lions walked away with a 4-1 win over the ThunderWolves.
King's Academy also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Caroline Duncan gave up a run (which was unearned) on five hits. Duncan has been nothing but reliable on the mound: 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. Lyla Diblasi was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.
John Carroll Catholic's record is now 21-4. As for King's Academy, their record now sits at 15-5.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. John Carroll Catholic hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .383. However, it's not like King's Academy struggles in that department as they've averaged .395. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
John Carroll Catholic suffered a grim 10-4 defeat to King's Academy when the teams last played back in April of 2022. Can the Rams avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
