Softball Game Preview: Nazareth Academy vs. Archbishop Carroll Patriots

Nazareth Academy will square off against the Archbishop Carroll Patriots at 3:45 p.m. on Monday. Nazareth Academy is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7 runs per game this season.

Nazareth Academy took a loss when they played away from home on Thursday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They blew past Bensalem 14-3. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for Nazareth Academy considering their two-run performance the matchup before.

Jill DiMario spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on eight hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in ten consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Nazareth Academy got a massive performance out of Hailey Kober, who went 2-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and two doubles. That's the most hits Kober has posted since back in March. Alaira Rios was another key player, going 3-for-4 with three runs, one triple, and one RBI.

Meanwhile, Thursday just wasn't the day for Archbishop Carroll's offense. They lost 11-0 to Archbishop Wood on Thursday. The defeat continues a trend for the Patriots in their meetings with the Vikings: they've now lost four in a row.

Nazareth Academy's victory was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-4. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.6 runs on average over those games. As for Archbishop Carroll, their loss dropped their record down to 3-5.

Nazareth Academy might still be hurting after the 14-4 defeat they got from Archbishop Carroll when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can Nazareth Academy avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.