St. Mary had lost three games straight , but after bumping their record up to 10-7 on Saturday that streak is in the rearview. They won by a run and slipped past the Woodland Park Panthers 9-8. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Pirates have posted since March 20th.
Ron Karin made a splash no matter where he played. He pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Karin was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. He has become a key player for St. Mary's: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 1-7 otherwise.
Ryan Strub
| 04/26/25 vs Woodland Park | 3 |
| 04/24/25 vs Kent Denver | 3 |
| 04/08/25 @ Hinkley | 3 |
| 04/19/25 vs Ellicott | 2 |
| 04/16/25 @ Calhan | 2 |
| + 9 more games |
In other batting news, Ryan Strub was incredible, going 2-for-4 with three stolen bases, four RBI, and one run. He is becoming a predictor of St. Mary's success: when he posts at least two stolen bases the team is 6-1 (and 4-6 when he doesn't). Isaac Velazquez was another key player, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with one run and one double.
St. Mary's was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .414. They are 9-1 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
As for Woodland Park, their loss was their first in the league, dropping their league record down to 4-1 and their overall record down to 11-2. Their defeat signaled the end of their eight-game winning streak.
Like St. Mary's, Woodland Park also got a great game from a two-way player: Link Bryden. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching 5.2 innings while giving up just one earned (and seven unearned) runs off eight hits. Bryden has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with one stolen base and two RBI.
In other batting news, Gabe Marquez made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and got on base in three of his four plate appearances with four stolen bases and two runs. Another player making a difference was Cody Fries, who earned one RBI, one run, and two stolen bases.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. St. Mary's will host Peyton at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The Panthers will roll in looking for their seventh straight victory, something the Pirates surely won't give up without a fight. As for Woodland Park, they will square off against Florence at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The Huskies will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each contest than the last.
