Cardinal Mooney hasn't had much luck against Clearwater Central Catholic recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. Cardinal Mooney will host Clearwater Central Catholic at 4:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Cardinal Mooney will roll into the match after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up two runs two weeks ago, then bounced right back against Indian Rocks Christian on Tuesday. Cardinal Mooney was the clear victor by a 19-4 margin over Indian Rocks Christian.
Cardinal Mooney got a massive performance out of Olivia Lockhart, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, and one triple. That's the most RBI Lockhart has posted since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Kaitlyn Will, who scored four runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4.
Lockhart wasn't the only one working in the hit department: Cardinal Mooney kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 16 hits. Cardinal Mooney is a perfect 4-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Clearwater Central Catholic, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Monday. They put the hurt on Saint Stephen's Episcopal with a sharp 12-5 victory on Tuesday.
Clearwater Central Catholic let Bethanny Ortiz and Keeland Moore run wild. Ortiz went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and one double, while Moore scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. That stolen base marked the first that Moore snagged this season. Sophia Negron was another key player, scoring a run while going 1-for-3.
Clearwater Central Catholic's win bumped their record up to 5-7. As for Cardinal Mooney, their victory bumped their record up to 6-3.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Cardinal Mooney hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .367. However, it's not like Clearwater Central Catholic struggles in that department as they've averaged .467. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Cardinal Mooney couldn't quite get it done against Clearwater Central Catholic in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 as they fell 9-4. Will Cardinal Mooney have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
