The Dade Christian Warriors are taking a road trip to take on the Varela Vipers at 3:30 p.m. on Friday. Dade Christian's pitching crew has only allowed 2.7 runs per game this season, so Varela's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
On Thursday, Dade Christian got the win against ABF Academy by a conclusive 7-1.
Leodan Rodriguez
| 02/20/25 @ ABF Academy | 16 |
| 04/30/24 vs Westminster Academy | 7 |
| 04/03/24 @ Schoolhouse Prep | 5 |
| 02/27/24 vs Immaculata-La Salle | 4 |
| 02/22/24 @ Westminster Academy | 3 |
Leodan Rodriguez spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on one hit and racked up 16 Ks. The dominant performance gave him a new career-high in strikeouts.
On the hitting side, Ylurey Melfor was a standout: he scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Kelvin Perez, who scored two runs while going 4-for-5.
Dade Christian kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Varela, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Friday. They narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past Miami Beach 4-3.
Varela also got a great performance from Christian Ponte as he struck out six batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off three hits. That's the fewest hits Ponte has allowed since back in March of 2024.
At the plate, Tyler Rodriguez was excellent, going a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI. Those RBI were his first of the season.
Dade Christian's record now sits at 3-4. As for Varela, their record is now 3-1.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Dade Christian has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Varela struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.2 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Dade Christian might still be hurting after the 10-0 loss they got from Varela in their previous matchup back in February of 2022. Can Dade Christian avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
