The Belle Vernon Leopards will head out to square off against the Serra Catholic Eagles at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Serra Catholic will take on a team with plenty of momentum: Belle Vernon extended their winning streak to seven on Wednesday. The Leopards blew past Laurel Highlands 9-2.
Lucas Judy made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over seven innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Seth Tomalski, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one double. Those three RBI gave him a new career-high. Alex Bastedo also deserves some recognition as he got his first hit of the season.
Belle Vernon was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .375. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Laurel Highlands only posted a batting average of .242.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Serra Catholic, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Monday. They were the clear victors by a 13-1 margin over Eden Christian Academy last Tuesday.
Like Belle Vernon, Serra Catholic also got a great game from a two-way player: Tyler Skaggs. He didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. Skaggs was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Owen Dumbroski was incredible, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Aiden Corbett was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with five RBI and one double.
Serra Catholic pushed their record up to 6-2 with the win, which was their seventh straight at home dating back to last season. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.4 runs on average over those games. As for Belle Vernon, their record is now 7-0.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Belle Vernon has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .474. However, it's not like Serra Catholic struggles in that department as they've averaged .516. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
