Maloney and Newington are an even 3-3 against one another since April of 2016, but likely not for long. The Spartans will be playing in front of their home fans against the Nor'easters at 3:45 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Maloney will roll into the matchup after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any runs on Monday, then bounced right back against Avon on Wednesday. The Spartans put the hurt on the Falcons with a sharp 13-4 victory. The result was nothing new for the Spartans, who have now won four contests by eight runs or more so far this season.
Stella Cicero spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and one unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up eight Ks.
Oliviah Garcia-Matyka
| 04/30/25 @ Avon | 4 |
| 04/09/25 @ Wethersfield | 3 |
| 04/23/25 @ Conard | 2 |
| 04/22/25 @ New Britain | 2 |
| 04/17/25 vs Windsor | 2 |
On the hitting side, Jenna Quilty and Oliviah Garcia-Matyka did most of the damage at the plate: Quilty went 4-for-5 with four runs, three doubles, and three RBI, while Garcia-Matyka went 4-for-5 with three stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI. Those four hits gave Garcia-Matyka a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Lacie Volpe, who went 1-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI.
Newington came out on top against Hall on Wednesday thanks in part to the team's impressive ten-run third inning. The Nor'easters blew past the Titans 20-1. The game marked the Nor'easters' most dominant win of the season so far.
Abigail Greaves made a splash while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over five innings pitched. Greaves was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
In other batting news, Kiley Connors was incredible, going a perfect 5-for-5 with five RBI, three runs, and two doubles. Carmela Balducci was another key player, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
Newington always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .610. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Maloney moved to 4-6 with that victory, which also ended their three-game losing streak. As for Newington, their win bumped their record up to 3-6.
Thursday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Maloney has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .434. However, it's not like Newington struggles in that department as they've averaged .446. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Maloney might still be hurting after the 17-9 loss they got from Newington when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Spartans avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
