The Berean Christian Eagles will square off against the Clear Lake Cardinals at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Berean Christian 4, Clear Lake 3.6) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Berean Christian is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. They narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past Albany 6-4. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Eagles as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Josh Werner made a splash no matter where he played. He tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. He was even better at the plate, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double. That's the most runs he has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Berean Christian let Ryder Walker and Max McTighe run wild. Walker went 2-for-3 with one triple and one run, while McTighe went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and one run. That's the most hits Walker has posted since back in April.
Berean Christian was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .400. They are a perfect 11-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Clear Lake waltzed into their contest on Wednesday with five straight wins... but they left with six. They were the clear victors by an 8-1 margin over the Saints. Considering the Cardinals have won ten matches by more than five runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Sawyer Smith was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 13 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off seven hits (and not a single walk). Smith was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Zane Mcauley and Jesse Hayes did most of the damage at the plate: Mcauley went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI, while Hayes went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. Another player making a difference was David Cruz JR, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Clear Lake pushed their record up to 17-5 with the win, which was their sixth straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.5 runs on average over those games. As for Berean Christian, their win bumped their record up to 17-8.
Saturday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Berean Christian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .442. However, it's not like Clear Lake struggles in that department as they've averaged .504. 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.
