Crusaders
| 03/07/25 vs Forest Hill | 16 |
| 03/03/25 @ Calvary Christian Academy | 17 |
| 02/28/25 @ John Carroll Catholic | 8 |
| 02/26/25 @ Palm Beach Gardens | 1 |
| 02/25/25 @ Jupiter | 0 |
| + 2 more games |
The Cardinal Newman Crusaders are taking a road trip to challenge the American Heritage Patriots at 6:30 p.m. on Monday. Cardinal Newman is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9 runs per game this season.
On Friday, everything went Cardinal Newman's way against Forest Hill as Cardinal Newman made off with a 16-1 victory. The Crusaders haven't had any issues with the Falcons recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive win against them.
Elle Perrotto made a splash no matter where she played. She pitched three innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. Perrotto was even better at the plate, going 2-for-3 with five RBI, one triple, and one run. That triple was her first of the season.
In other batting news, Reese Khanna was incredible, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two triples, three runs, and four RBI. Another player making a difference was Sydney Mahoney, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, one triple, and one double.
Cardinal Newman was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .750. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their batting average total in four consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, American Heritage is still undefeated this season after their contest against West Broward on Friday, but West Broward came as close as anyone has to beating them. American Heritage came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 3-2 W against West Broward. That's two games straight that the Patriots have won by just one run.
Lyric Rodriguez spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on seven hits and racked up six Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Bria Villano, who went 1-for-3 with one home run. Brooke Gleicher was another key player, getting on base in all three of her plate appearances with one RBI.
Cardinal Newman's victory was their ninth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 3-4. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for American Heritage, their record is now 7-0.
Monday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Cardinal Newman hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .362. However, it's not like American Heritage struggles in that department as they've averaged .370. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
