North Ridgeville is on a nine-game streak of home wins, while Elyria Catholic is on a 12-game streak of away wins (dating back to last season): one of those streaks is about to end. The Rangers will host the Panthers at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
North Ridgeville was handed a heart-breaking two-run defeat in their last match, but they sure didn't let that happen against Firelands on Thursday. The Rangers put the hurt on the Falcons with a sharp 10-2 victory. The high-scoring effort was just what the Rangers needed considering they were shut out in their previous contest.
Naomi Bottomlee
| 05/08/25 vs Firelands | 14 |
| 04/30/25 vs Steele | 10 |
| 04/28/25 @ Avon Lake | 7 |
| 04/24/25 vs Berea-Midpark | 11 |
| 04/23/25 @ Midview | 10 |
| + 3 more games |
Naomi Bottomlee made a splash while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run while striking out 14 over seven innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts she has posted since back in April. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Molly Walton, who went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. That's the most hits she has posted over her last seven games. Another player making a difference was Gabby Thibodeaux, who went 2-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
Meanwhile, Elyria Catholic made easy work of Cloverleaf on Wednesday and carried off a 20-1 win.
Like North Ridgeville, Elyria Catholic also got a great game from a two-way player: Harper Morgan. On the mound, she struck out ten batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit (and only one walk). Morgan has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI.
In other batting news, Hannah Brooks was a standout: she went 4-for-5 with three runs, three RBI, and two doubles. Jessica Conner was another key player, going 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
Elyria Catholic kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 20 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in seven consecutive matchups.
North Ridgeville has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won seven of their last eight contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 17-4 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.8 runs on average over those games. As for Elyria Catholic, their win bumped their record up to 22-0.
Both North Ridgeville and Elyria Catholic just can't seem to miss. The Rangers have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.4 hits per game. However, it's not like Elyria Catholic struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 4.4 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
