The Pocono Mountain West Panthers will head out on the road to square off against the Nazareth Area Blue Eagles at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Pocono Mountain West has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the matchup with five straight defeats, while Nazareth Area will come in with three straight victories.
On Thursday, Pocono Mountain West came up short against Lehighton and fell 12-8.
Chloe Straub made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 3-for-5 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one double. Emma Covino also deserves some recognition as she got her first hit of the season.
Meanwhile, Nazareth Area got themselves on the board against Pleasant Valley on Thursday, but Pleasant Valley never followed suit. They blew past the Bears 15-0. The result was nothing new for the Blue Eagles, who have now won seven games by six runs or more so far this season.
The result came thanks to Kylie Grover's shutout, as she gave up just four hits and racked up six Ks. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Nazareth Area got a massive performance out of Makayla Ork, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, and two doubles. The team also got some help courtesy of Gianna Perillo, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, three RBI, and one double.
Nazareth Area kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in three consecutive contests.
Pocono Mountain West's loss dropped their record down to 2-7. As for Nazareth Area, their record now sits at 9-2.
Monday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Pocono Mountain West has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .463. However, it's not like Nazareth Area struggles in that department as they've averaged .481. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Pocono Mountain West might still be hurting after the 26-0 defeat they got from Nazareth Area in their previous meeting back in April of 2018. Can the Panthers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
