The Twin Valley Raiders will challenge the Lancaster Catholic Crusaders at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both teams are coming into the game red-hot, with Twin Valley sitting on 15 straight wins and Lancaster Catholic on nine.
While Twin Valley's victory against Conrad Weiser wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Raiders skirted past the Scouts 4-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Raiders have posted since April 3rd.
Erin Cromwell spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on four hits and racked up 11 Ks. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Twin Valley's victory was truly a team effort as five different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Ella Herbst, who went 2-for-4 with one double.
Lancaster Catholic came out on top against Middletown on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive six-run seventh inning. The Crusaders put the hurt on the Blue Raiders with a sharp 9-3 win. The Crusaders might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 12 matches by six runs or more this season.
Kailee Detz was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching seven innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off ten hits. Detz was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Ava Pisano, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. Gabby Bigler also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Lancaster Catholic kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in eight consecutive contests.
Twin Valley's victory was their 11th straight at home, which pushed their record up to 16-2. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.0 runs over those games. As for Lancaster Catholic, their record now sits at 15-2.
Saturday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Twin Valley hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .379. However, it's not like Lancaster Catholic struggles in that department as they've averaged .358. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
