East Catholic is 1-7 against Enfield since May of 2017 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. East Catholic will be playing at home against Enfield at 3:45 p.m. East Catholic is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.8 runs per game this season.
East Catholic fell victim to Edwin O. Smith and their airtight pitching crew on Wednesday. They lost 10-0 to the Panthers. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat the Eagles have suffered since May 29, 2024.
The home team had won the previous four meetings between Enfield and Manchester, and Enfield kept the tradition alive. The Eagles' pitchers stepped up to hand the Red Hawks a 12-0 shutout on Wednesday. Considering the Eagles have won eight contests by more than five runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Payten Stebbins made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than eight strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-5 with one home run and two RBI.
In other batting news, Emily Lyver was incredible, going 2-for-3 with two triples, three runs, and one stolen base. Those two triples gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Hailey Anderson, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
East Catholic now has a losing record of 7-8. As for Enfield, their win bumped their record up to 11-3.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. East Catholic has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .449. However, it's not like Enfield struggles in that department as they've averaged .440. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
East Catholic suffered a grim 22-1 defeat to Enfield in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Will East Catholic have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
