The University Red Devils will head out to face off against the Woodside Wildcats at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (University has ten straight victories, Woodside has three straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Last Friday, University got the win against San Domenico by a conclusive 16-1. The Red Devils might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won ten matches by six runs or more this season.
Tate Gebhart made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he pitched two innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one walk in six consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs and one RBI.
In other pitching news, Rohan Hartigan looked comfortable as he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one hit in three consecutive appearances.
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Leo Felder, who got on base in all three of his plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Mattie Grisso, who got on base in all three of his plate appearances with three runs and one stolen base.
University was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .429. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .304 or higher in 12 consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Woodside started off well but failed to capitalize on an early lead against Half Moon Bay. They lost 10-2 to the Cougars on Thursday.
Woodside saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Cruz Torres, who went 2-for-3 with one run.
University pushed their record up to 15-1 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.8 runs over those games. As for Woodside, their loss dropped their record down to 8-10.
University's speedy runners might be the difference in Saturday's contest. The Red Devils have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.1 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Woodside, though, as they've been averaging only 0.9 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will University continue to outrun the ball?
University came up short against Woodside in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, falling 10-7. Can the Red Devils avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
