DuVal hasn't had much luck against Bowie recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. The Tigers will face off against the Bulldogs at 11:00 a.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
DuVal took a loss when they played away from home on Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. Everything went their way against Wise as they made off with a 9-3 victory.
Andrew Gurwah made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over six innings while giving up three earned runs off seven hits (and only one walk). Gurwah was also big at the plate, getting on base in two of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases and one run.
Jeremias Velez
| 05/02/25 vs Wise | 3 |
| 04/23/25 vs Parkdale | 2 |
| 03/26/25 vs Flowers | 2 |
| 04/25/25 vs Flowers | 1 |
| 04/11/25 vs Northwestern | 1 |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Jeremias Velez, who went 2-for-4 with three stolen bases and two runs. Those three stolen bases gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Jared Mejia, who got on base in two of his three plate appearances with three stolen bases and two runs.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Bowie). They were the clear victors by a 26-4 margin over Bladensburg on Friday. The win was familiar territory for the Bulldogs, who have now won five matches in a row.
Like DuVal, Bowie also got a great game from a two-way player: Jack Young. On the mound, he pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Young has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI.
In other batting news, Bowie got a massive performance out of Jayden Ryland, who got on base in four of his five plate appearances with four stolen bases, five runs, and three RBI. Ryland is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games he's played. Brandon Epps was another key player, getting on base in all five of his plate appearances with three stolen bases, three runs, and four RBI.
Bowie always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .800. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Bowie's victory was their seventh straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 15-1. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.9 runs on average over those games. As for DuVal, they have been performing well recently as they've won eight of their last ten games. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-6 record this season.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Saturday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. DuVal has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.1 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Bowie struggles in that department as they've been averaging 10.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
DuVal suffered a grim 20-3 defeat to Bowie when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Tigers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
