The Bishop Hartley Hawks will face off against the Hilliard Darby Panthers at 5:15 p.m. on Monday. The timing is sure in Bishop Hartley's favor as the team sits on five straight wins at home while Hilliard Darby has been banged up by three consecutive losses on the road.
On Thursday, Bishop Hartley beat St. Francis DeSales 11-7. The win continues a trend for the Hawks in their matchups with the Stallions: they've now won seven in a row.
Jasmine Wooten made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she pitched seven innings while giving up just two earned (and five unearned) runs off eight hits. Wooten was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Chelsea Gautier and Morgan Bailey did most of the damage at the plate: Gautier went 2-for-3 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three RBI, while Bailey went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. That's the most stolen bases Bailey has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Nia Johnson, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Bishop Hartley kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They are 12-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, it may have taken nine innings to finish the job, but Hilliard Darby ultimately got the result they hoped for on Thursday. They had just enough and edged out Dublin Scioto 8-7. That's two games straight that the Panthers have won by just one run.
Marley Grigsby spent all nine innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and four unearned) runs on 11 hits and racked up seven Ks.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Carmella Biedenbach, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple. That triple was her first of the season. The team also got some help courtesy of Kaydence Speelman, who went 3-for-5 with one stolen base and two RBI.
Bishop Hartley's victory bumped their record up to 14-4. As for Hilliard Darby, their win bumped their record up to 15-6.
Monday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Bishop Hartley hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .393. However, it's not like Hilliard Darby struggles in that department as they've averaged .365. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
