Smithfield is 2-7 against Cranston East since April of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Sentinels will head out on the road to square off against the Thunderbolts at 4:45 p.m. Smithfield's pitching crew has only allowed 3.2 runs per game this season, so Cranston East's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Smithfield is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Rhode Island's top teams: South Kingstown, who was ranked third at the time (Smithfield was ranked sixth). The Sentinels fell just short of the Rebels by a score of 2-1 on Sunday.
Tucker Byrnes spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on four hits.
At the plate, Moe Villandry was cooking despite his team's loss, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with one stolen base and one run. Sean Dwyer was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases.
Cranston East not only won on Monday, but they posted their biggest win since May 29, 2024 (when they won 10-4). Everything went their way against Cranston West as they made off with a 10-4 victory. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Thunderbolts.
Cranston East also got a great performance from Cameron Boulanger as he pitched five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. Boulanger has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks any time he's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, Jeu Leon was excellent, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with three runs, three RBI, and one double. He has become a key player for Cranston East: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 2-14 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Tyler Chisolm, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Cranston East's win bumped their record up to 5-14. As for Smithfield, their loss dropped their record down to 12-7.
Cranston East's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Smithfield has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .437. It's a different story for Cranston East, though, as they've only averaged .357. Will they be able to contain Smithfield's hitters?
Smithfield came out on top in a nail-biter against Cranston East when the teams last played back in April of 2024, sneaking past 3-1. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Sentinels since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
