Cardinal Newman and Seminole Ridge are an even 4-4 against one another since February of 2015, but likely not for long. The Crusaders will be playing at home against the Hawks at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Cardinal Newman 2.6, Seminole Ridge 2.8) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Cardinal Newman will bounce into Friday's matchup after beating St. John Paul II Academy, who they had gone 2-7 against in their nine prior meetings. The Crusaders' pitcher stepped up to hand the Eagles a 4-0 shutout on Tuesday. The game was the first time the Crusaders have beaten the Eagles on their field since May 1, 2017.
Blake Anderson
| 04/01/25 @ St. John Paul II Academy | 1 |
| 03/26/25 vs Williamsburg | 2 |
| 03/20/25 vs American Heritage | 1 |
| 03/12/25 @ Jensen Beach | 1 |
| 03/05/25 vs DeLand | 0 |
| 02/27/25 @ Benjamin | 2 |
St. John Paul II Academy's batters probably weren't too happy with Blake Anderson, who pitched a no hitter and racked up 12 Ks (he gave up a single walk). Anderson has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Cardinal Newman's victory was truly a team effort as five different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Dominic Demarzo, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Finn Duran was another, scoring a run while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, Seminole Ridge didn't have quite enough to beat Olympic Heights on Wednesday and fell 5-4. The Hawks have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
The win made it two in a row for Cardinal Newman and bumps their season record up to 18-2-1. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered a grand total of 1 runs in those games. As for Seminole Ridge, their loss dropped their record down to 11-9.
Both Cardinal Newman and Seminole Ridge just can't seem to miss. The Crusaders have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 8.8 hits per game. However, it's not like Seminole Ridge struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 4.7 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Cardinal Newman took their win against Seminole Ridge in their previous matchup back in March of 2024 by a conclusive 8-0 score. Do the Crusaders have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Hawks turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
