The St. Francis Fighting Saints are taking a road trip to challenge the Zimmerman Thunder at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. St. Francis' pitching crew has only allowed 2.3 runs per game this season, so Zimmerman's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
The scorekeeper got an easy start on Friday as neither St. Francis nor Academy of Holy Angels made it on the board until the fifth inning. The Fighting Saints took a 4-1 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Stars. The Fighting Saints have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Meanwhile, Zimmerman came into Friday's matchup having lost six straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They were the clear victors by a 17-2 margin over Milaca on Friday. The Thunder's hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Hank Olson made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out six over 4.2 innings pitched. Olson was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI. That RBI was his first of the season.
In other batting news, Eli Martin and Noah Schmit did most of the damage at the plate: Martin fired off two home runs, three runs, and four RBI while going 3-for-4, while Schmit went 2-for-4 with four runs, one triple, and one stolen base. Those two home runs gave Martin a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Danny Hartigan, who got on base in four of his five plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.
Zimmerman kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Zimmerman's record now sits at 2-6. As for St. Francis, their loss dropped their record down to 6-3.
Zimmerman's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Monday. St. Francis has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.2 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Zimmerman, though, as they've been averaging only 3.5 strikeouts. Will St. Francis keep running through batters, or will the Thunder buck the trend?
St. Francis took their victory against Zimmerman in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 16-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Fighting Saints since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
