Baseball Game Preview: John Hay vs. Wickliffe Blue Devils

John Hay

Runs

04/03/25 vs Bard Early College	9
04/01/25 @ Lincoln West	6
03/31/25 vs Richmond Heights	16
03/29/25 vs Harvey	12

John Hay hasn't had much luck against Wickliffe recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. John Hay will welcome Wickliffe at 11:00 a.m. John Hay is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 10.8 runs per game this season.

While John Hay's win against Bard Early College wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. John Hay narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past Bard Early College 9-7. The win continues a trend for John Hay in their matchups with Bard Early College: they've now won four in a row.

Sam Kozak was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over six innings while giving up three earned (and two unearned) runs off only two hits. Kozak was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. He also put up an RBI, which was his first of the season.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Beau Harris Jr, who scored three runs and stole six bases. Harris Jr is crushing it when it comes to stolen bases: he's snagged at least one every time he's taken the field this season. Another player making a difference was De'Charion Williams, who scored two runs and stole four bases while getting on base in two of his four plate appearances.

Meanwhile, Wickliffe fell victim to Chagrin Falls and their airtight pitching crew on Wednesday. They took a 5-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Tigers. The loss put an end to the Blue Devils' undefeated start to the season.

The victory got John Hay back to even at 2-2. As for Wickliffe, their loss was their fifth straight on the road dating back to last season, which dropped their record down to 2-1.

John Hay might still be hurting after the 16-2 defeat they got from Wickliffe in their previous matchup back in April of 2022. Can John Hay avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.