Baseball Game Preview: Pope John Paul II Knights vs. Father Ryan Irish

The Pope John Paul II Knights will square off against the Father Ryan Irish at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Pope John Paul II has given up an average of 9.9 runs per game this season, but Tuesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

The home team had won the previous three meetings between Pope John Paul II and Montgomery Bell Academy, and Montgomery Bell Academy kept the tradition alive. The Knights came up short against the Big Red on Monday, falling 14-6.

Pope John Paul II saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Bo Bailey, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-3.

Meanwhile, Father Ryan had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5 runs) and they went ahead and made it four on Friday. They walked away with a 7-2 victory over the Bobcats.

Father Ryan's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 8-12. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Pope John Paul II, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost ten of their last 11 matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 3-16 record this season.

Pope John Paul II might still be hurting after the 12-4 defeat they got from Father Ryan when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Knights avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.