Johnstown-Monroe is 0-9 against Watkins Memorial since April of 2015 but things could change on Wednesday. The Johnnies will head out to challenge the Warriors at 5:00 p.m. Johnstown-Monroe will be looking to extend their current four-game winning streak.
While Johnstown-Monroe didn't have the best season last year (they finished 9-18), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They walked away with a 9-6 victory over Northridge on Monday.
Landon Myers was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Myers was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 1-for-2.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Erik Marohl, who scored two runs while going 3-for-3. Braeden Archibald was another key player, scoring two runs while going 2-for-4.
Johnstown-Monroe was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .440. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Northridge only posted a batting average of .250.
Meanwhile, Watkins Memorial entered their tilt with Licking Heights on Monday with two consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with three. They came out on top against the Hornets by a score of 5-2.
Brayden Windnagel spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned runs on three hits and racked up 12 Ks. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Dylan Gray was incredible, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 1-for-3. Trent Johnson also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen base of the season.
Johnstown-Monroe pushed their record up to 6-1 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.3 runs over those games. As for Watkins Memorial, they now have a winning record of 4-3.
Watkins Memorial's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Johnstown-Monroe hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .315. It's a different story for Watkins Memorial, though, as they've only averaged .238. Will they be able to contain Johnstown-Monroe's hitters?
Johnstown-Monroe suffered a grim 12-0 defeat to Watkins Memorial in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Can the Johnnies avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
