Veritas Prep is 2-7 against Chandler Prep since April of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Falcons will venture away from home to square off against the Titans at 6:00 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Veritas Prep 3.7, Chandler Prep 3.8) so any runs scored will be well earned.
On Wednesday, Veritas Prep earned a 6-2 win over Arizona Lutheran Academy. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Falcons.
Cade Huseth spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on four hits and racked up seven Ks. He has been consistent for a while: he hasn't given up more than two walks in ten consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Jack Mason and Logan Cortes did most of the damage at the plate: Mason scored two runs while going 3-for-4, while Cortes went a perfect 4-for-4 with three doubles and two RBI. That's the most hits Cortes has posted since back in April of 2024. Tico Lentz also deserves some recognition as he hit his first doubles of the season.
They weren't the only one making solid contact: Veritas Prep kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 5.2 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 matches they've averaged 9.
Meanwhile, Chandler Prep came tearing into Wednesday's game with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 9.8 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They blew past the Lions 12-4. Considering the Titans have won nine contests by more than seven runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Chandler Prep let Colman Smith and Emet Yates run wild. Smith went a perfect 4-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and two doubles, while Yates scored three runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-4. Derek Tucker was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing two bases.
Chandler Prep's victory was their tenth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 12-4. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.5 runs over those games. As for Veritas Prep, they now have a winning record of 7-6.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Veritas Prep has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.4 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Chandler Prep struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Veritas Prep came up short against Chandler Prep in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, falling 10-5. Can the Falcons avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
