The Bernards Mountaineers will take on the Bound Brook Crusaders at 10:00 a.m. on Monday. Bernards will be strutting in after a victory while Bound Brook will be coming in after a loss.
Bernards is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victors by a 10-3 margin over Franklin on Thursday. The Mountaineers not only won on Thursday, but they posted their biggest win since May 22, 2024 (when they won 13-3).
Gabby Mongo
| 04/17/25 vs Franklin | 2 |
| 04/15/25 @ Franklin | 1 |
| 04/14/25 vs North Hunterdon | 2 |
Gabby Mongo spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on seven hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Brooke Helpinstill, who went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases, three runs, and one double. With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 1.1 stolen bases per game. The team also got some help courtesy of Kriztina Lekai, who went 1-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Bound Brook was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their fifth straight defeat. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost a 5-4 heartbreaker at the hands of Bayonne.
Bound Brook also let their pitcher toss all 10.2 innings and she was also dialed-in: Isabella Marusiak gave up just two earned (and two unearned) runs on five hits and racked up nine Ks.
At the plate, Rachael Gurczeski was cooking despite her team's loss, getting on base in three of her five plate appearances with four stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Kathy Reyes also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Bound Brook's loss dropped their record down to 1-7. As for Bernards, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-6.
Bernards' speedy runners might be the difference in Monday's game. The Mountaineers have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.1 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Bound Brook, though, as they've been averaging only 1.4 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Bernards continue to outrun the ball? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
