vs
| 05/03/24 - Home | 11-1 W |
| 04/16/24 - Away | 8-3 W |
| 05/09/23 - Away | 2-1 W |
| 04/25/23 - Home | 2-1 W |
| 04/08/22 - Away | 8-2 W |
| + 5 more games |
Central Catholic is a perfect 10-0 against Gresham since May of 2016 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Rams will take on the Gophers at 5:00 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Central Catholic took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. They walked away with a 10-7 win over Nelson. The Rams haven't had any issues with Nelson recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Jaspen Lauderback-Smith spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and five unearned) runs on 13 hits.
On the hitting side, Central Catholic got a massive performance out of Grace Schellinkhout, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and one stolen base. Sidney Ginter also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Central Catholic was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .400. The last time their batting average was this high was back in May of 2024.
Meanwhile, Gresham entered their tilt with David Douglas on Wednesday with six consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with seven. They blew past the Scots 13-0. Give the Gophers' pitching crew some credit: that's the team's third straight shutout.
Despina Seufalemua made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out ten over five innings pitched. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two runs and one double.
In other batting news, Alyssa Grover was a standout: she went 2-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. La Terra Foster-Frison was another key player, going 3-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Gresham pushed their record up to 11-4 with the win, which was their fifth straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.0 runs over those games. As for Central Catholic, their win was their first in the league, bumping their league record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 3-7.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Central Catholic has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.4 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Gresham struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.9 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Central Catholic took their victory against Gresham in their previous matchup back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 11-1 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Rams since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
