North East and Girard are an even 5-5 against one another since April of 2019, but likely not for long. The Grape Pickers are taking a road trip to face off against the Yellowjackets at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams are still undefeated (North East has eight wins , while Girard has five).
North East is headed into the matchup having just posted their closest win since May 13, 2024 on Wednesday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Conneaut Area, sneaking past 3-2. The three-run effort marked the Grape Pickers' lowest-scoring game of the season, but in the end it didn't matter.
Jerek Turlij
| 04/09/25 @ Conneaut Area | 18 |
| 04/04/25 vs West Middlesex | 15 |
| 03/20/25 vs Union City | 15 |
| 03/14/25 @ Carrick | 12 |
| 03/27/25 vs Erie | 7 |
Jerek Turlij made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He struck out 18 batters over 6.2 innings while giving up just two earned runs off two hits. Those 18 strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Braydon Cornman, who scored a run and stole three bases while going 2-for-3. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in April of 2024.
While Girard didn't have the best season last year (they finished 7-12), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They put the hurt on Corry with a sharp 8-1 victory on Wednesday. Fans of the Yellowjackets have seen this all before: every one of the games they've played this season has ended in a blowout of 6+ runs.
Like North East, Girard also got a great game from a two-way player: Joe Ferretti. On the mound, he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Ferretti has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two hits in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 2-for-3. He also put up two RBI, which were his first of the season.
In other batting news, James Kibbe was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3. Kibbe is crushing it when it comes to stolen bases: he's snagged at least one every time he's taken the field this season. Mason Kalicky was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
Girard kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Girard's win was their seventh straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 5-0. The team's perfect season has a lot to do with their hitting performance: the team's won by an average of 9.3 runs thus far. As for North East, their record is now 8-0.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. North East has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.5 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Girard struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9.2 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
North East skirted past Girard 9-8 when the teams last played back in May of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Grape Pickers since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
