The Clay Blue Devils will square off against the Bishop Kenny Crusaders at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Clay is coming into the match hot, having won their last five games.
Clay's pitching crew heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Tuesday. They walked away with a 3-0 victory over Episcopal School of Jacksonville.
Clay got a great performance from Rylan McMahan as he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out ten over six innings pitched. McMahan has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Merrick Rapoza, who went 1-for-2 with one home run and two RBI. Cole Carnell was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, Bishop Kenny can bid farewell to their eight-game losing streak dating back to last season thanks to their game on Thursday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Bartram Trail, sneaking past 3-2. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Crusaders have posted since May 8, 2024.
Aidan Maris looked comfortable as he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits over four innings pitched.
At the plate, Colin Ulrich was excellent, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double. Timmy Pellicer also deserves some recognition as he brought in his first RBI of the season.
Clay's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-2. They've dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 6.8 runs. As for Bishop Kenny, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-7.
Clay's speedy runners might be the difference in Wednesday's game. Clay has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.7 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Bishop Kenny, though, as they've been averaging only 0.9 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Clay continue to outrun the ball? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
