vs
| 05/08/25 - Home | 8-0 W |
| 04/29/25 - Home | 10-1 W |
| 03/25/25 - Away | 8-7 W |
| 04/09/24 - Home | 10-0 W |
| 04/20/23 - Home | 9-2 W |
| + 5 more games |
Bishop O'Connell is a perfect 10-0 against Paul VI since April of 2019 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Knights will face off against the Panthers at 5:00 p.m. Bishop O'Connell will come into the game with an undefeated record on the line.
Bishop O'Connell is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Monday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Saint Gertrude a 15-0 shutout. Considering the Knights have won 13 matches by more than six runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Abby Bond was incredible, firing off two home runs, eight RBI, and three runs while going 4-for-4. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March of 2024. Another player making a difference was MJ Melvin, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with four runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Paul VI, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Thursday. They put the hurt on Potomac School with a sharp 8-1 win on Monday. Paul VI is also no stranger to big wins: their blowout was the 12th contest they've won by 6+ runs this season.
Giovanna Gottfried made a big impact no matter where she played. She struck out 13 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off five hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Maria Dozier, who went 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. Natalie Monroe was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one triple, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Paul VI hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Potomac School struck out 12 times.
Bishop O'Connell's victory was their 18th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 18-0. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.1 runs on average this season. As for Paul VI, they have been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a nice bump to their 15-12 record this season.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Bishop O'Connell has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Paul VI struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 10.9 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Everything went Bishop O'Connell's way against Paul VI in their previous matchup on Thursday, as Bishop O'Connell made off with an 8-0 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Knights since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
