St. Joseph Central Catholic had lost five straight at home, but on Monday they dropped down to 3-13 to make it six. They lost 18-7 to the Hopewell-Loudon Chieftains. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Crimson Streaks of the 15-14 defeat they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in May of 2025.
Bella Stout stepped up to lead a balanced group of hitters: she went 2-for-3 with two doubles and one run. The team also got some help courtesy of Natalie Smith, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and two doubles.
As for Hopewell-Loudon, they have been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-9 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.5 runs over those games.
On Hopewell-Loudon's side, Araceli Velasquez was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she pitched three innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. Velasquez has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-5 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
In other batting news, Aubrey Cline was a standout: she went 3-for-6 with five runs, three RBI, and one stolen base. Those five runs gave her a new career-high. Mallory Rowe was another key player, going 2-for-6 with one home run, four RBI, and one double.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. St. Joseph Central Catholic will take on Ross at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. As for Hopewell-Loudon, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Woodmore at 5:00 p.m. on Friday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
