The Vineland Fighting Clan will face off against the St. Augustine Prep Hermits at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Vineland was handed a ten-run defeat in their previous outing, but that didn't affect their clutch gene on Friday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Absegami, sneaking past 3-1. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Fighting Clan as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Xavier Etheridge
| 03/28/25 @ Pitman | 3 |
| 05/02/25 @ Absegami | 1 |
| 04/02/25 vs Mainland Regional | 1 |
Xavier Etheridge made a splash no matter where he played. He pitched three innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. He has become a key player for Vineland: the team is 4-2 when he allows at most three earned runs, but 5-7 otherwise. Etheridge was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with four stolen bases, one run, and one double.
In other batting news, Dawson Carter was excellent, going 1-for-3 with three stolen bases and one run. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Mario Toro, who went 3-for-4 with one double.
13 must be St. Augustine Prep's lucky number: they beat Vineland with that score not once but twice on Wednesday. The Hermits beat the Fighting Clan by the very same score they won with in their prior game: 13-3. The Hermits might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won ten matchups by six runs or more this season.
Like Vineland, St. Augustine Prep also got a great game from a two-way player: Ethan Suppi. On the mound, he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Suppi has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two hits in seven consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in two of his three plate appearances with one stolen base and one run.
In other pitching news, Jameson Dobis looked comfortable as he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over four innings pitched.
Back at the plate, Alex Weingartner was a standout: he got on base in three of his five plate appearances with one home run and three runs. DJ Lloyd was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with four RBI and one stolen base.
St. Augustine Prep always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .564. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Vineland only posted an OBP of .292.
St. Augustine Prep's win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 16-3. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.0 runs on average over those games. As for Vineland, the win got them back to even at 9-9.
Vineland suffered a grim 13-3 defeat to St. Augustine Prep in their previous meeting on Wednesday. Will the Fighting Clan have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
