The Berkeley Prep Buccaneers will head out on the road to square off against the Key West Conchs at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Berkeley Prep has six straight wins, Key West has three straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
On Friday, Berkeley Prep made easy work of Dade Christian and carried off a 15-3 victory. The result was nothing new for the Buccaneers, who have now won six matches by six runs or more so far this season.
Rivers Kurland
| 03/21/25 vs Dade Christian | 11 |
| 03/14/25 vs Wesley Chapel | 7 |
| 03/06/25 @ Bishop McLaughlin Catholic | 14 |
| 02/27/25 vs Cambridge Christian | 7 |
| 02/20/25 vs Santa Fe Catholic | 12 |
Berkeley Prep got a great performance from Rivers Kurland as he struck out 11 batters over 5.2 innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off five hits. Kurland has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in five consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Josh Herrmann, who went 1-for-2 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in February. Carson Binder was another key player, scoring two runs while going 3-for-4.
Berkeley Prep kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Dade Christian only managed eight hits.
Meanwhile, Key West started off well but failed to capitalize on an early lead against John Carroll Catholic. They fell just short of the Rams by a score of 5-3 on Friday. That's two games in a row now that the Conchs have lost by exactly two runs.
Key West also got a good showing from Christian Koppal, who pitched 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. That's the fewest hits Koppal has allowed since back in May of 2024.
On the hitting side, Kade Maltz was cooking despite his team's loss, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one home run and two runs. That home run was his first of the season.
Key West's loss dropped their record down to 9-6. As for Berkeley Prep, their record now sits at 13-3.
Key West's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Berkeley Prep hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .331. It's a different story for Key West, though, as they've only averaged .228. Will they be able to contain Berkeley Prep's hitters?
Berkeley Prep came up short against Key West in their previous matchup back in April of 2023, falling 8-4. Can Berkeley Prep avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
