The South Allegheny Gladiators will venture away from home to face off against the Apollo Ridge Vikings at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as South Allegheny comes in on three and Apollo Ridge on eight.
While South Allegheny didn't have the best season last year (they finished 7-10), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They never let Shady Side Academy get on the board and left with a 16-0 victory on Friday. Considering the Gladiators have won four games by more than five runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Ava Brown was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out nine over five innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts she has posted since back in April of 2024. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, Cadence McBride was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with four stolen bases, two triples, and three runs. With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 1.2 stolen bases per game. Angelina LaGuardia also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Meanwhile, Apollo Ridge got the win against Brentwood on Friday by a conclusive 15-1. The result was nothing new for the Vikings, who have now won seven contests by nine runs or more so far this season.
Like South Allegheny, Apollo Ridge also got a great game from a two-way player: Mikaila Ditty. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out 11 over six innings pitched. Ditty has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs.
In other batting news, Cassidy Ryan was a standout: she went 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple. Another player making a difference was Olivia Saxion, who went 2-for-5 with four RBI, one stolen base, and one run.
Apollo Ridge kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in five consecutive matches.
South Allegheny pushed their record up to 6-1 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.2 runs on average over those games. As for Apollo Ridge, their record now sits at 8-1.
South Allegheny's speedy runners might be the difference in Monday's game. The Gladiators have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 7.4 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Apollo Ridge, though, as they've been averaging only 1 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will South Allegheny continue to outrun the ball? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
