The John Paul II Catholic Saints will face off against the GRACE Christian Eagles at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
GRACE Christian will be up against a hot John Paul II Catholic team: the squad just extended their winning streak to three. The Saints put the hurt on Bethel Christian Academy with a sharp 12-2 victory last Tuesday.
Alana Albritton was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run, six RBI, and two triples. What's more, she posted three runs, the most she's had since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Makayla Cox, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
John Paul II Catholic was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .520. They are 10-3 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, with a playoff win on the line, GRACE Christian rose to the challenge on Tuesday. Everything went their way against the Patriots as they made off with a 17-2 win. The victory was familiar territory for the Eagles, who have now won nine games in a row.
Taylor Laraway was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she tossed four innings while giving up just two earned runs off six hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, GRACE Christian got a massive performance out of Audrey Lester, who went 2-for-3 with five stolen bases and three runs. Another player making a difference was Caitlin Barry, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI.
GRACE Christian's win was their tenth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 14-2. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.7 runs over those games. As for John Paul II Catholic, their win bumped their record up to 13-8-1.
Both John Paul II Catholic and GRACE Christian just can't seem to miss. The Saints have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10.5 hits per game. However, it's not like GRACE Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 5.5 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
