The Monroe-Woodbury Crusaders will challenge the Goshen Central Gladiators at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Monroe-Woodbury is coming into the contest hot, having won their last five games.
Monroe-Woodbury barely beat Newburgh Free Academy the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Crusaders put the hurt on the Goldbacks with a sharp 13-5 win on Tuesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest victory the Crusaders have posted against the Goldbacks since April 15, 2024.
Meanwhile, Goshen Central posted their closest win since April 25th on Wednesday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Middletown, sneaking past 5-4. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Gladiators.
Anna Mayo spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned runs on six hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Marley Northrup, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with three RBI, one run, and one double. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Sophia Springer, who went 3-for-4 with two runs and one double.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Goshen Central kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Middletown only managed six hits.
Goshen Central pushed their record up to 13-4 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.0 runs over those games. As for Monroe-Woodbury, their victory bumped their record up to 10-5.
Monroe-Woodbury skirted past Goshen Central 2-1 when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Do the Crusaders have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Gladiators turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.