The Christ the King Crusaders will face off against the Draughn Wildcats on Tuesday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Christ the King comes in on five and Draughn on three.
Christ the King is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They never let Polk County get on the board and left with a 10-0 win.
Owen Shipman made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out eight over five innings pitched. Shipman was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI. That's the most hits he has posted since back in April of 2024.
In other batting news, Patrick Walsh was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and one stolen base. That's the most runs he has posted since back in March. Jamison Ehret was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.
Christ the King always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .611. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Draughn came out on top against Highland Tech on Friday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run seventh inning. The Wildcats walked away with a 5-1 victory over the Rams.
Like Christ the King, Draughn also got a great game from a two-way player: Jacob Mull. He pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Mull has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two hits in five consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run and five RBI.
Mull wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Tate Jensen, who went 1-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Draughn pushed their record up to 15-8 with the win, which was their tenth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.2 runs on average over those games. As for Christ the King, their win bumped their record up to 16-7.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Christ the King has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Draughn struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 9.5 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
