Cincinnati Christian is 2-8 against Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy since May of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Cougars will head out to take on the Eagles at 5:00 p.m. Cincinnati Christian is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 10.6 runs per game this season.
On Wednesday, Cincinnati Christian got the win against New Miami by a conclusive 15-5. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Cougars.
Kelsey Stacy made a splash while hitting and pitching. She struck out seven batters over five innings while giving up five earned runs off four hits. Stacy was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 2-for-4. What's more, she posted two RBI, the most she's had since back in May of 2024.
In other batting news, Naomi Updegrove was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with four runs, four RBI, and one stolen base. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Anna Bowling, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4.
Cincinnati Christian always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .538. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy never let their opponents score on Tuesday. They put the hurt on Norwood with a sharp 8-0 victory.
Not much got past Kylene Werner, who gave up just five hits and racked up 14 Ks to keep Norwood off the board. With that strong performance, Werner is now averaging an impressive 5.8 strikeouts per game.
On the hitting side, Raven Horton and Emily Lang did most of the damage at the plate: Horton went 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs, while Lang went 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. Horton also hit a double, marking her first of the season. Ella Helms was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
The win got Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy back to even at 3-3. As for Cincinnati Christian, they now have a winning record of 4-3.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Cincinnati Christian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .473. However, it's not like Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy struggles in that department as they've averaged .471. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Cincinnati Christian came up short against Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy in their previous matchup back in May of 2024, falling 7-3. Can the Cougars avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
