Perry is on a nine-game streak of home wins (dating back to last season), while Wickliffe is on a three-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Pirates will welcome the Blue Devils at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Thursday, Perry got the win against Jefferson Area by a conclusive 12-6.
Morgan Winters spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned (and one unearned) runs on ten hits and racked up nine Ks.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Sydney Collins, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run, four RBI, and one stolen base. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Madeline Infalvi, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Meanwhile, Wickliffe got themselves on the board against Kirtland on Tuesday, but Kirtland never followed suit. They put the hurt on the Hornets with a sharp 14-0 victory. The Blue Devils have beaten the Hornets the last six times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Hornets has come to flipping the script.
Leigha Blazetic was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out 12 over five innings pitched. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Mackayla Gazdak was incredible, going 3-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and one double. Maddie Kita was another key player, going 3-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.
Perry is on a roll lately: they've won 11 of their last 12 matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 17-5 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.3 runs over those games. As for Wickliffe, their victory bumped their record up to 10-6.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Perry has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .464. However, it's not like Wickliffe struggles in that department as they've averaged .491. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Perry took their win against Wickliffe in their previous meeting back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 13-5 score. Will the Pirates repeat their success, or do the Blue Devils have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
