The Johnston Panthers will take on the St. Raphael Academy Saints at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. The two teams are strolling into their contests after big wins in their previous games.
St. Raphael Academy will take on a team with plenty of momentum: Johnston extended their winning streak to four on Thursday. The Panthers' pitcher stepped up to hand North Providence a 15-0 shutout. Give the Panthers' pitching crew some credit: that's the team's third straight shutout.
Haley Boudreau made a big impact no matter where she played. She struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and only one walk). She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one earned run any time she's pitched this season. She was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Mariah Fluery, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with six RBI, two doubles, and one run. Those doubles marked the first that she has hit this season. Another player making a difference was Bella Boudreau, who earned one RBI, two runs, and five stolen bases.
Johnston hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least three batters every time they've taken the field this season.
Meanwhile, St. Raphael Academy got the win against Woonsocket last Thursday by a conclusive 15-0. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Saints.
Like Johnston, St. Raphael Academy also got a great game from a two-way player: Emma Martin. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and only one walk). Martin was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
In other batting news, Jaliyah De Los Santos was a standout: she went 2-for-3 with three runs and one RBI. Sophie Roman was another key player, going 1-for-2 with three RBI, one run, and one double.
Johnston's win bumped their record up to 4-0. As for St. Raphael Academy, their victory bumped their record up to 2-0.
Johnston came out on top in a nail-biter against St. Raphael Academy in their previous matchup back in May of 2018, sneaking past 5-4. Will the Panthers repeat their success, or do the Saints have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
