The Point Pleasant Beach Garnet Gulls will head out to square off against Trinity Hall at 10:00 a.m. on Friday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
On Wednesday, it was close, but Point Pleasant Beach sidestepped Manchester Township for a 4-2 win.
Lucia Robinson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on six hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Gia Gates was incredible, going 1-for-2 with three stolen bases, two RBI, and one run. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in April of 2024. Olivia Derasmo also deserves some recognition as she scored her first run of the season.
Trinity Hall came out on top against Long Branch on Monday thanks in part to the team's impressive seven-run first inning. Trinity Hall was the clear victor by a 14-4 margin over Long Branch. The result was nothing new for Trinity Hall, who have now won five matches by eight runs or more so far this season.
Emma Mullins made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 14 batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off three hits (and only one walk). Mullins was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one triple.
In other batting news, Trinity Hall got a massive performance out of Brooke Werdann, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with six stolen bases and two runs. Maggie Burns was another key player, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with five stolen bases and two runs.
Trinity Hall always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .600. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Long Branch only posted an OBP of .091.
The victory made it two in a row for Trinity Hall and bumps their season record up to 6-2. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 20.5 runs over those games. As for Point Pleasant Beach, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-9.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Point Pleasant Beach has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.7 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Trinity Hall struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 9.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Everything went Point Pleasant Beach's way against Trinity Hall in their previous matchup back in May of 2023, as Point Pleasant Beach made off with a 14-4 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Garnet Gulls since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
