Elk County Catholic has gone a perfect 5-0 against Smethport recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Crusaders will challenge the Hubbers at 4:30 p.m. Elk County Catholic will be looking to extend their current nine-game winning streak.
On Wednesday, Elk County Catholic made easy work of Brockway and carried off a 12-2 win. That looming 12-2 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Crusaders yet this season.
Jack Breindel was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out nine over four innings pitched. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in six consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI and two doubles. Those two doubles gave him a new career-high.
Lance O'Neill
| 05/07/25 vs Brockway | 3 |
| 05/01/25 @ St. Marys | 2 |
| 04/28/25 @ Johnsonburg | 2 |
| 03/27/25 vs Johnsonburg | 2 |
| 05/21/24 vs Keystone | 2 |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lance O'Neill, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. Those three runs gave him a new career-high. Wyatt Brem was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.
Elk County Catholic hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Brockway struck out 11 times.
Meanwhile, Friday just wasn't the day for Smethport's offense. They lost 11-0 to Cameron County on Friday. The matchup marked the first time this year in which the Hubbers were not able to get on the board.
Elk County Catholic pushed their record up to 11-3 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for Smethport, their loss dropped their record down to 3-8.
Elk County Catholic took their victory against Smethport in their previous meeting back in May of 2023 by a conclusive 16-2 score. Will the Crusaders repeat their success, or do the Hubbers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
