The Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders will take on the Athens Drive Jaguars at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Cardinal Gibbons has five straight wins, Athens Drive has four straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Cardinal Gibbons gave up the first runs on Thursday, but they didn't let that get them down. They blew past Broughton 13-3. Considering the Crusaders have won seven matches by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Sophie Cygnarowicz was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she pitched 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 1-for-3.
Mallory Kelly
| 04/10/25 vs Broughton | 4 |
| 03/21/25 @ Enloe | 3 |
| 03/14/25 @ East Chapel Hill | 3 |
| 04/03/25 @ North Raleigh Christian Academy | 2 |
| 03/10/25 @ South Garner | 2 |
In other batting news, Mallory Kelly was a standout: she went a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. Becca Jordan was another key player, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs and one triple.
Cardinal Gibbons kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They are a perfect 7-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Athens Drive lost 11-1 to Leesville Road on Thursday.
Cardinal Gibbons' victory bumped their record up to 8-4. As for Athens Drive, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-12.
Athens Drive's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Cardinal Gibbons has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10.2 hits per game. It's a different story for Athens Drive, though, as they've been averaging 11 hits. Given Cardinal Gibbons' sizable advantage in that area, the Jaguars will need to find a way to close that gap.
Cardinal Gibbons beat Athens Drive 7-3 in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Will the Crusaders repeat their success, or do the Jaguars have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
