The Charlotte Catholic Cougars will face off against the Butler Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Charlotte Catholic is coming into the match hot, having won their last seven games.
It was a proper cat-fight when Charlotte Catholic faced off against Hickory Grove Christian on Friday. Charlotte Catholic came out on top against Hickory Grove Christian by a score of 6-1.
Alex Hoffman made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out nine over five innings pitched. What's more, he gave up only zero earned runs, the fewest he's had since back in February. He was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances.
In other pitching news, Dylan Kelleher looked comfortable as he tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Furthermore, he didn't allow a single walk, the first time he has blanked an opponent since back in April of 2024.
Back at the plate, John Hucko was a standout: he went 1-for-2 with two RBI and one double. Matt McKnight was another key player, scoring a run while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Butler, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Thursday. They never let Rocky River get on the board and left with a 12-0 win on Friday. The Bulldogs might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five contests by nine runs or more this season.
Like Charlotte Catholic, Butler also got a great game from a two-way player: Grayson DeBerry. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. DeBerry was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. Butler is 3-1 when DeBerry posts two or more runs, but 3-7 otherwise.
In other pitching news, Chase Decurtis looked comfortable as he pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has become a key player for Butler: the team is 2-1 when he allows at most one hit, but 4-7 otherwise.
Back at the plate, Tim Henderson was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing four bases while going 2-for-3. Those two runs gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Collin Keith, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 1-for-1.
Butler always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .517. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Charlotte Catholic's victory was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 13-2. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Butler, their victory ended a three-game drought at home and bumped them up to 6-8.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Charlotte Catholic has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .522. However, it's not like Butler struggles in that department as they've averaged .439. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Charlotte Catholic took their win against Butler in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 11-1. Will Charlotte Catholic repeat their success, or does Butler has a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
