Baseball Game Preview: Bishop Ludden Gaelic Knights vs. Cortland Purple Tigers

The Bishop Ludden Gaelic Knights will challenge the Cortland Purple Tigers at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Bishop Ludden took a eight-run loss the last time they faced off against Westhill, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Gaelic Knights narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past the Warriors 8-6. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Gaelic Knights as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.

Meanwhile, after only one run in their last game, Cortland made sure to put some runs up on the board against Watertown on Thursday. The Purple Tigers blew past the Cyclones 12-2. Considering the Purple Tigers have won seven contests by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.

Owen Johnson made a splash no matter where he played. He tossed four innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. Johnson was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base and one RBI.

In other batting news, Cal Albright was incredible, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three runs. That home run marked the first that he has launched this season. Another player making a difference was Connor Browngardt, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI.

Bishop Ludden pushed their record up to 8-5 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.2 runs on average over those games. As for Cortland, their win bumped their record up to 11-2.

Bishop Ludden beat Cortland 6-2 in their previous matchup back in May of 2016. Will the Gaelic Knights repeat their success, or do the Purple Tigers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.