The Northridge Vikings will challenge the Newark Catholic Green Wave at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Northridge has given up an average of 13.2 runs per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Northridge fell victim to Mt. Vernon and their airtight pitching crew on Wednesday. They might be feeling deja-vu: they lost 16-0 to the Yellowjackets, which was the same score (and result) they got the week prior. The Vikings have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Meanwhile, after low-scoring totals in their previous three contests, Newark Catholic brought some dynamite into their most recent game. They never let Zanesville get on the board and left with a 12-0 win on Wednesday. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Green Wave as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Veronica Bailey (2026) made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 15 over five innings pitched. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Emma Lohri (2025) and Brooklyn Kurtz Merricks (2027) did most of the damage at the plate: Lohri (2025) scored two runs while going 3-for-3, while Kurtz Merricks (2027) scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. Aly Rothweiler (2026) was another key player, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3.
Newark Catholic was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .393. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Zanesville only posted a batting average of .000.
Northridge's loss dropped their record down to 4-4. As for Newark Catholic, their win was their first in the conference, bumping their conference record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 3-4.
Newark Catholic's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Northridge has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .521. It's a different story for Newark Catholic, though, as they've only averaged .353. Will they be able to contain Northridge's hitters?
Northridge suffered a grim 16-6 defeat to Newark Catholic when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Vikings avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
