The Heritage Patriots will head out on the road to face off against the JW North Huskies at 3:15 p.m. on Thursday. Heritage has given up an average of 10.4 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Heritage managed to slip by Arlington the last time these teams faced off, but didn't have those same answers this time around. The Patriots lost 11-1 to the Lions on Tuesday. The Patriots have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Natalia York
| 04/15/25 vs Arlington | 1 |
| 04/10/25 @ Canyon Springs | 1 |
| 04/08/25 vs Vista del Lago | 1 |
Natalia York and Lizette Perez stepped up to the plate in a big way. York went 2-for-3 with one stolen base and one double, while Perez scored a run and stole two bases while going 1-for-1. York is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games she's played. Another player making a difference was Morgan Martens, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one double.
Meanwhile, it was close, but on Tuesday JW North sidestepped Hillcrest for a 4-3 victory.
Anela Kinnevey spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on eight hits.
On the hitting side, JW North saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Lily Hiraoka, who scored a run while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
JW North is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-9 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games. As for Heritage, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-12.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Heritage has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .441. However, it's not like JW North struggles in that department as they've averaged .483. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Heritage beat JW North 6-3 in their previous meeting back in March of 2015. Will the Patriots repeat their success, or do the Huskies have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
