The Elyria Catholic Panthers are taking a road trip to challenge the North Ridgeville Rangers at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Elyria Catholic is currently enjoying a perfect season and no doubt wants to keep things rolling.
On Wednesday, Elyria Catholic got the win against Cloverleaf by a conclusive 20-1. The Panthers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 14 matches by six runs or more this season.
Harper Morgan made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out ten batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit (and only one walk). She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI.
Hannah Brooks
| 05/14/25 vs Cloverleaf | 4 |
| 05/06/25 vs Beaumont School | 3 |
| 04/17/25 @ Padua Franciscan | 3 |
| 05/12/25 vs Madison | 2 |
| 05/07/25 vs Padua Franciscan | 2 |
In other batting news, Hannah Brooks was a standout: she went 4-for-5 with three runs, three RBI, and two doubles. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. Jessica Conner was another key player, going 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
Elyria Catholic always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .615. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Cloverleaf only posted an OBP of .167.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for North Ridgeville, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Wednesday. Everything went their way against Firelands on Thursday as they made off with a 10-2 win. Considering the Rangers' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Like Elyria Catholic, North Ridgeville also got a great game from a two-way player: Naomi Bottomlee. She didn't allow a single earned run while striking out 14 over seven innings pitched. Bottomlee was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Molly Walton, who went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. Gabby Thibodeaux also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Elyria Catholic pushed their record up to 22-0 with the victory, which was their 16th straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.4 runs on average over those games. As for North Ridgeville, they are on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last eight contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 17-4 record this season.
Elyria Catholic's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's game. The Panthers have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.1 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for North Ridgeville, though, as they've been averaging only 0.8 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Elyria Catholic continue to outrun the ball? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
