The Shorecrest Scots will square off against the Archbishop Murphy Wildcats at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. The teams are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Shorecrest has struggled recently with six defeats in a row, while Archbishop Murphy will arrive with four straight wins.
Last Wednesday, Shorecrest came up short against Shorewood and fell 10-5.
Natalie Fernandez was cooking despite her team's loss, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Lyla Ann Taing, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, it may have taken ten innings to finish the job, but Archbishop Murphy ultimately got the result they hoped for on Thursday. They won by a run and slipped past Shorewood 8-7. While the Wildcats didn't have the best season last year (they finished 3-15), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
Ari Dixon spent all ten innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and three unearned) runs on six hits and racked up six Ks.
At the plate, Carly Madhavan and Sarah Fletcher did most of the damage at the plate: Madhavan went 2-for-4 with one home run and three runs, while Fletcher went 2-for-6 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Maddie Evans, who scored two runs while going 3-for-5.
Archbishop Murphy's victory bumped their record up to 8-2. As for Shorecrest, their loss dropped their record down to 3-6.
Shorecrest's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's game. The Scots have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.9 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Archbishop Murphy, though, as they've been averaging only 0.7 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Shorecrest continue to outrun the ball?
Shorecrest might still be hurting after the 13-3 defeat they got from Archbishop Murphy in their previous meeting last Wednesday. Will the Scots have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
