Cardinal Newman is 0-6 against John Carroll Catholic since February of 2023 but things could change on Tuesday. The Crusaders will challenge the Rams at 4:30 p.m. The two teams are strolling into their matches after big wins in their previous games.
Cardinal Newman is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Monday. They put the hurt on Lincoln Park Academy with a sharp 16-1 win. Considering the Crusaders' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Elle Perrotto
| 04/28/25 vs Lincoln Park Academy | 2 |
| 04/15/25 vs Jupiter | 1 |
| 04/08/25 vs Berean Christian | 1 |
| 04/07/25 @ Forest Hill | 1 |
| 02/26/25 @ Palm Beach Gardens | 1 |
Elle Perrotto was a standout: she went 2-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, and two doubles. Those two doubles gave her a new career-high. Valeria Estrada also deserves some recognition as she hit her first doubles of the season.
Cardinal Newman hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their strikeout total in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, John Carroll Catholic came tearing into Wednesday's game with nine straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 6 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They blew past the Terriers 7-1. The Rams might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 12 matchups by six runs or more this season.
Makayla Ortiz was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 14 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 21 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with two RBI and one run.
In other batting news, Malory Vaudrin was excellent, going 2-for-3 with two runs and one triple. Another player making a difference was Samantha Rychter, who earned two RBI, one run, and one stolen base.
John Carroll Catholic's victory was their eighth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 20-4. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.8 runs over those games. As for Cardinal Newman, they moved to 6-16 with that victory, which also ended their four-game losing streak.
Cardinal Newman suffered a grim 11-2 defeat to John Carroll Catholic when the teams last played back in March. Can the Crusaders avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
