The Classical Purple are taking a road trip to challenge the North Smithfield Northmen at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. North Smithfield took a loss in their last game and will be looking to turn the tables on Classical, who comes in off a win.
Classical barely beat Paul Cuffee the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Purple were the clear victors by an 18-6 margin over Paul Cuffee on Thursday. That looming 18-6 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Purple yet this season.
Allen Espinal
| 04/18/25 vs Juanita Sanchez Complex | 3 |
| 04/11/25 @ Rogers | 3 |
| 04/04/25 @ Mt. Pleasant | 2 |
| 04/30/25 vs Mt. Pleasant | 1 |
| 04/29/25 @ Juanita Sanchez Complex | 1 |
Allen Espinal made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Classical is 3-1 when Espinal allows one or fewer hits, but 0-10 otherwise. Espinal was even better at the plate, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with three stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. What's more, he posted two hits, the most he's had since back in May of 2024.
In other batting news, Classical got a massive performance out of Josiah Niyahkoon, who went 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI. Those three stolen bases gave Niyahkoon a new career-high. Oscar Charlesworth also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen base of the season.
Meanwhile, North Smithfield lost 10-4 to West Warwick on Saturday. The defeat continues a trend for the Northmen in their meetings with the Wizards: they've now lost three in a row.
Logan Robertson made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Tyler Albino, who went 1-for-4 with two runs and one triple.
Classical has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 3-11 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.8 runs over those games. As for North Smithfield, they now have a losing record of 7-8.
Classical might still be hurting after the 10-0 loss they got from North Smithfield in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Can the Purple avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
