The Stuart Hall Knights will challenge the San Domenico Panthers at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Stuart Hall is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.6 runs per game this season.
On Saturday, Stuart Hall needed a bit of extra time to put away Marin Academy. They walked away with a 9-4 victory over the Wildcats. The home team had taken home the W every time these teams have met since May 8, 2023, but that streak is no more.
Damian Talavera made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over 6.2 innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off three hits. Talavera was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run. That's the most hits he has posted since back in February.
In other batting news, William Malko was incredible, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases, three runs, and one triple. Another player making a difference was Alex Heinicke, who went 2-for-4 with one triple, one run, and one double.
The home team had won the previous six meetings between San Domenico and Lick-Wilmerding, and San Domenico kept the tradition alive. The Panthers never let the Tigers get on the board and left with a 10-0 win on Friday.
Like Stuart Hall, San Domenico also got a great game from a two-way player: Oliver Swain. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out ten over six innings pitched. San Domenico is undefeated when Swain posts eight or more strikeouts, but 4-11 otherwise. Swain was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one double.
Swain wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Alex Brook, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with two stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. Brook is becoming a predictor of San Domenico's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 2-1 (and 6-10 when he doesn't). Colin Falconer also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
San Domenico is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-11 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.3 runs over those games. As for Stuart Hall, their win bumped their record up to 14-2.
San Domenico's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Stuart Hall hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .379. It's a different story for San Domenico, though, as they've only averaged .242. Will they be able to contain Stuart Hall's hitters?
Stuart Hall took their victory against San Domenico when the teams last played back in April by a conclusive 12-1 score. Do the Knights have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Panthers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
