Girard hasn't had much luck against Ursuline recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Indians will challenge the Fighting Irish at 2:00 p.m. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
Girard is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They skirted past Perry 7-6. That's two games straight that the Indians have won by just one run.
Camron Herrick spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered five earned (and one unearned) runs on eight hits and racked up seven Ks.
On the hitting side, Zach Ward was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one home run and one double. That home run was his first of the season. The team also got some help courtesy of Will Hynes, who went 2-for-5 with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Girard kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They are a perfect 7-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, it was close, but on Tuesday Ursuline sidestepped Villa Angela-St. Joseph for a 3-2 victory. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Fighting Irish.
Anthony Triveri was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over six innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits (and only one walk). He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base. He is becoming a predictor of Ursuline's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 8-11 when he doesn't).
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on AJ Snyder, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI. That's the most hits he has posted since back in April.
Girard's record is now 15-12. As for Ursuline, their record now sits at 16-11.
Ursuline's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Thursday. Girard has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.7 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Ursuline, though, as they've been averaging an even more impressive 4 strikeouts. Will Girard keep running through batters, or will the Fighting Irish buck the trend?
Girard couldn't quite get it done against Ursuline when the teams last played back in April of 2019 as they fell 5-2. Can the Indians avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
