The Taft Eagles will head out on the road to challenge the Wheaton Academy Warriors at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
On Thursday, Taft didn't have quite enough to beat Simeon and fell 11-10.
Andrew Korolis
| 03/18/25 @ Brooks | 5 |
| 05/15/25 @ Simeon | 3 |
| 03/31/25 vs Solorio | 3 |
| 04/19/25 @ Elk Grove | 1 |
| 04/14/25 vs Lincoln Park | 1 |
| + 3 more games |
Evan Jocic and Andrew Korolis did some serious damage despite the final result: Jocic went 2-for-5 with one home run, two RBI, and one double, while Korolis went 2-for-4 with one home run and three RBI. Korolis is becoming a predictor of Taft's success: when he posts at least three RBI the team is 2-1 (and 14-15 when he doesn't). The team also got some help courtesy of Israel Rodriguez, who got on base in three of his five plate appearances with two runs and one double.
Meanwhile, Wheaton Academy had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 9 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Saturday. They blew past the Lions 10-4. Considering the Warriors have won ten matchups by more than five runs this season, Saturday's blowout was nothing new.
Wheaton Academy also got a great performance from Bryce Legel as he struck out eight batters over six innings while giving up three earned runs off eight hits (and only one walk). Legel has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Dom Murrell was incredible, going 2-for-3 with five RBI, one stolen base, and one run. Those five RBI gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Brandon Kiebles, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases and two runs.
Wheaton Academy pushed their record up to 19-14 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.7 runs over those games. As for Taft, their loss dropped their record down to 16-16.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Taft has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Wheaton Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 2.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
