The Bernards Mountaineers will head out to face off against the Franklin Warriors at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Bernards will bounce into Tuesday's game after beating Warren Hills Regional, who they had gone 2-7 against in their nine prior meetings. The Mountaineers were the clear victors by a 12-1 margin over the Blue Streaks on Monday. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Mountaineers considering their two-run performance the matchup before.
Gabby Mongo spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on four hits and racked up 11 Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 14 consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Kriztina Lekai was a standout: she went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs. Corrine Perry was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, and one double.
Meanwhile, Franklin was not the first on the board on Monday, but they got there more often. They came out on top against South Hunterdon by a score of 9-5. The Warriors haven't had any issues with the Eagles recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Franklin also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: C Warcup gave up three earned (and two unearned) runs on four hits and racked up nine Ks.
At the plate, Franklin got a big performance out of J Sejeck, who went 3-for-4 with two runs and one RBI. Those three hits gave Sejeck a new career-high. K Gallagher also deserves some recognition as she launched her first home run of the season.
Franklin kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as South Hunterdon only managed three.
Bernards now has a winning record of 9-8. As for Franklin, their record is now 11-9.
Bernards got the 'W' in their previous matchup back in April of 2025 against Franklin by a conclusive 10-3 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Mountaineers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
