vs
| 04/29/24 - Away | 7-8 L |
| 04/12/24 - Home | 4-14 L |
| 05/04/23 - Away | 3-6 L |
| 04/14/23 - Home | 7-8 L |
| 04/30/22 - Home | 10-16 L |
| + 5 more games |
Utica and Newark Catholic are an even 5-5 against one another since April of 2018, but likely not for long. The Redskins will welcome the Green Wave at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Utica is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.6 runs per game this season.
Utica barely beat Zanesville the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Redskins' pitcher stepped up to hand the Blue Devils a 19-0 shutout on Wednesday. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Redskins as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Cheyene Smith made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
In other batting news, Kenzie Fletcher was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Kaitlin Evans was another key player, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one triple.
Utica kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 5.2 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 matches they've averaged 12.4.
Meanwhile, Monday just wasn't the day for Newark Catholic's offense. They fell just short of Johnstown-Monroe by a score of 2-0 on Monday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Green Wave have suffered since May 1, 2024.
Utica's victory was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 5-8. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 4.0 runs on average over those games. As for Newark Catholic, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 4-6.
Utica's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's contest. The Redskins have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.5 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Newark Catholic, though, as they've been averaging only 1 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Utica continue to outrun the ball? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
