The Berks Catholic Saints will take on the Twin Valley Raiders at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Berks Catholic is headed into the contest having just posted their closest victory since May 6, 2024 on Saturday. They narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past Bishop McDevitt 4-3.
Giana Mirenda
| 05/03/25 vs Bishop McDevitt | 14 |
| 04/30/25 vs Kutztown | 8 |
| 04/28/25 vs Brandywine Heights Area | 12 |
| 04/23/25 @ Hamburg | 6 |
| 04/16/25 @ Oley Valley | 8 |
| + 5 more games |
Giana Mirenda made a splash no matter where she played. She struck out 14 batters over seven innings while giving up three earned runs off three hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in ten consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, firing off two home runs and three RBI while going 2-for-2. That's the most home runs she has posted since back in May of 2024.
Mirenda wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Sophia Bradley, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one run. Mady Kieffer also deserves some recognition as she brought in her first RBI of the season.
Berks Catholic lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Twin Valley came tearing into Saturday's game with 15 straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7.6 runs), and they left with even more momentum. Everything went their way against the Crusaders as they made off with a 9-2 victory. The result was nothing new for the Raiders, who have now won 12 matches by six runs or more so far this season.
Like Berks Catholic, Twin Valley also got a great game from a two-way player: Erin Cromwell. On the mound, she struck out ten batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off four hits (and only one walk). Cromwell was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
In other batting news, Hailie Barton was excellent, going 2-for-5 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Emma Mattson, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one run.
Twin Valley pushed their record up to 17-2 with the win, which was their sixth straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Berks Catholic, their win bumped their record up to 5-8.
Monday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Berks Catholic has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .438. However, it's not like Twin Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .448. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Berks Catholic couldn't quite get it done against Twin Valley in their previous meeting back in May of 2024 as they fell 3-0. Will the Saints have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
