The Sycamore Aviators will challenge the Archbishop McNicholas Rockets at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
While Sycamore's win against Colerain wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Aviators sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 2-1 victory over the Cardinals on Monday. The win continues a trend for the Aviators in their matchups with the Cardinals: they've now won three in a row.
Ava Andolina was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 13 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off six hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double. That double marked the first that she has hit this season.
Andolina wasn't the only one making solid contact as two players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Kaitlyn Gambaccini, who got on base in all three of her plate appearances with one RBI.
Meanwhile, Archbishop McNicholas got the win against Chaminade Julienne Catholic on Monday by a conclusive 13-5. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest victory the Rockets have posted against the Eagles since April 23, 2021.
Like Sycamore, Archbishop McNicholas also got a great game from a two-way player: Natalie Jones. She pitched seven innings while giving up four earned (and one unearned) runs off ten hits. Jones was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-5 with two runs and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Grace Reuss was a standout: she went 3-for-5 with one home run, four runs, and five RBI. Megan Richardson was another key player, going 3-for-5 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
Archbishop McNicholas kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 17 hits. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Archbishop McNicholas pushed their record up to 5-4 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 4.0 runs on average over those games. As for Sycamore, they now also have a winning record of 5-4.
Sycamore beat Archbishop McNicholas 3-0 when the teams last played back in May of 2023. Will the Aviators repeat their success, or do the Rockets have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
