University is 1-9 against Venice since March of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Wednesday. The Wildcats will face off against the Gondoliers at 5:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
University came out on top against Westchester on Monday thanks in part to the team's impressive six-run fourth inning. The Wildcats put the hurt on the Comets with a sharp 12-2 win. The victory continues a trend for the Wildcats in their matchups with the Comets: they've now won four in a row.
Kayla Carpenter
| 05/12/25 vs Westchester | 1 |
| 05/05/25 vs Palisades | 1 |
| 04/28/25 @ Fairfax | 1 |
| 04/25/25 vs Hamilton | 1 |
Kayla Carpenter was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out nine over five innings pitched. Carpenter was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and one triple. She is on a roll when it comes to home runs, as she's now launched at least one in each of the last four games she's played.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kayla Anzora, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Ditagi Smith, who went 2-for-4 with three stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI.
University lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. They are 4-1 when they post two or more home runs.
Meanwhile, Venice came tearing into Monday's game with seven straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 15.4 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They never let the Lions get on the board and left with a 24-0 win. Give the Gondoliers' pitching crew some credit: that's the team's third straight shutout.
Sandy Carrera was incredible, going 3-for-5 with one home run and two doubles. Abigail Acensio was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one home run.
Venice pushed their record up to 19-2 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.3 runs on average over those games. As for University, the victory got them back to even at 7-7.
Wednesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. University has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .445. However, it's not like Venice struggles in that department as they've averaged .550. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
University suffered a grim 18-1 defeat to Venice when the teams last played back in April. Can the Wildcats avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
