Pine Grove is 2-8 against North Schuylkill since April of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Cardinals will be playing at home against the Spartans at 7:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Pine Grove came out on top against Northampton on Saturday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run seventh inning. The Cardinals were the clear victors by an 8-2 margin over the Konkrete Kids. The win was familiar territory for the Cardinals, who have now won ten matches in a row.
Jamie Dinger made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in 11 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with one double.
In other batting news, Madison Shiffer was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March. Callee Leffler was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI.
Meanwhile, North Schuylkill entered their tilt with Berwick on Monday with five consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with six. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Bulldogs a 10-0 shutout. That's two games straight that the Spartans have won by exactly ten runs.
Like Pine Grove, North Schuylkill also got a great game from a two-way player: Olivia Jones. She didn't allow a single earned run while striking out seven over six innings pitched. Jones was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one home run and three RBI.
In other batting news, Jordanna Frie was incredible, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That home run was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Brigid Flynn, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.
North Schuylkill always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .515. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Berwick only posted an OBP of .292.
North Schuylkill's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-1. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Pine Grove, their victory bumped their record up to 15-1.
Pine Grove's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's game. The Cardinals have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.4 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for North Schuylkill, though, as they've been averaging only 0.8 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Pine Grove continue to outrun the ball? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
