Payton College Prep has gone a perfect 3-0 against Chicago Hope Academy recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Grizzlies will challenge Chicago Hope Academy at 4:45 p.m. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a four-game winning streak alive.
Payton College Prep gave up the first runs on Wednesday, but they didn't let that get them down. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 7-5 win over Northside. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Grizzlies have posted against the Mustangs since May 5, 2016.
Jacqueline Madda
| 04/30/25 @ Northside | 0 |
| 04/26/25 @ Elmwood Park | 1 |
| 04/22/25 @ Whitney Young | 1 |
Jacqueline Madda spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned runs on six hits and racked up 11 Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Athena Corrales was incredible, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Vianca Placencia, who went 1-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Chicago Hope Academy made easy work of Chicago Christian on Wednesday and carried off a 12-1 win. The result was nothing new for Chicago Hope Academy, who have now won seven contests by 11 runs or more so far this season.
Lina Wilson was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching four innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. Wilson was even better at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI. With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 1.1 stolen bases per game.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Isa Medina, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. That's the most runs she has posted over her last nine games. Andi Medina was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.
Chicago Hope Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .565. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Chicago Christian only posted an OBP of .353.
Chicago Hope Academy's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-7. 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 Payton College Prep, their record is now 8-10.
Thursday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Payton College Prep hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .322. However, it's not like Chicago Hope Academy struggles in that department as they've averaged .419. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Payton College Prep's way against Chicago Hope Academy when the teams last played back in April of 2023, as Payton College Prep made off with an 18-7 victory. Do the Grizzlies have another victory up their sleeve, or will Chicago Hope Academy turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
