The Doherty Spartans will challenge the Fountain-Fort Carson Trojans at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Doherty is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.7 runs per game this season.
Doherty took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They were the clear victors by an 11-1 margin over Liberty. The result was nothing new for the Spartans, who have now won five matches by eight runs or more so far this season.
Derek Graham
| 04/08/25 vs Liberty | 6 |
| 04/01/25 vs Rampart | 3 |
| 03/27/25 vs Tualatin | 4 |
| 03/17/25 vs Air Academy | 5 |
| 03/11/25 vs Lewis-Palmer | 5 |
| + 2 more games |
Derek Graham made a splash no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over five innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in May of 2024. He was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Doherty got a massive performance out of Dominick Morelli, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4. Morelli has become a key player for the Spartans: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 2-7 otherwise. Giovanni Rishavy was another key player, scoring a run while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances.
Doherty was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .391. They are 4-1 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Fountain-Fort Carson had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 4.5 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Tuesday. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past the Rams 4-2.
Joseph Baumbach spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned runs on six hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Fountain-Fort Carson's win was truly a team effort as four different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Cody Greiner, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Doherty's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 6-7. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.3 runs over those games. As for Fountain-Fort Carson, their victory bumped their record up to 8-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Doherty has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.4 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Fountain-Fort Carson struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 5.9 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Doherty was able to grind out a solid win over Fountain-Fort Carson when the teams last played back in May of 2024, winning 7-3. Will the Spartans repeat their success, or do the Trojans have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
