Paul VI hasn't had much luck against Bishop O'Connell recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Panthers will take on the Knights at 4:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Paul VI will roll into the game after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up two runs on Thursday, then bounced right back against Independence on Thursday. The Panthers blew past the Blue Devils 11-1.
Anisa Noorani
| 04/24/25 vs Independence | 11 |
| 04/23/25 vs Canfield | 10 |
| 04/22/25 vs South Range | 3 |
| 04/17/25 vs Elizabeth Seton | 6 |
| 04/13/25 vs Our Lady of Good Counsel | 4 |
| + 9 more games |
Anisa Noorani made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 11 batters over six innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. That's the most strikeouts she has posted since back in March. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one home run and three RBI.
In other batting news, Paul VI let Presley Gatlin and Ashley Robinson run wild. Gatlin went 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs, while Robinson went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one triple. That's the most runs Robinson has posted over her last 11 matches. Another player making a difference was McKenna Drawbaugh, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Bishop O'Connell strolled into their game last Wednesday with a perfect record and they left with the same. Their pitchers stepped up to hand The Academy of the Holy Cross a 14-0 shutout.
Like Paul VI, Bishop O'Connell also got a great game from a two-way player: Ella Fletcher. On the mound, she tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Fletcher has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than one walk in seven consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
In other batting news, Abby Bond was incredible, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two triples, one stolen base, and two RBI. Those triples were her first of the season. Gigi Payne was another key player, going a perfect 1-for-1 with one home run and two RBI.
Bishop O'Connell kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 21 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least ten hits in three consecutive contests.
Bishop O'Connell pushed their record up to 11-0 with the win, which was their 14th straight on the road dating back to last season. The road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.6 runs on average over those games. As for Paul VI, their record is now 12-10.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Tuesday. Paul VI hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.5 home runs per game. However, it's not like Bishop O'Connell struggles in that department as they've been averaging 1 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
