Clinton hasn't had much luck against Oakmont Regional recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Gaels will host the Spartans at 4:00 p.m. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a five-game winning streak alive.
Clinton is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victors by an 18-4 margin over Quabbin Regional on Wednesday. With that win, the Gaels brought their scoring average up to 6.9 runs per game.
Jake Notaro made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits (and only one walk). He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Andrew Mortimer was incredible, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. Those three runs gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Davis Lunn, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run.
Clinton always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .615. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Oakmont Regional ultimately got the result they hoped for on Wednesday. They had just enough and edged out Tyngsborough 4-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Spartans have posted against the Tigers since April 12, 2019.
Clinton's win was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 9-3. The road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.8 runs on average over those games. As for Oakmont Regional, their win bumped their record up to 9-2.
