Cardinal Gibbons is preparing for their first district matchup of the season on Friday. They will square off against the Jensen Beach Falcons at 7:00 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Cardinal Gibbons' pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Wednesday. They had just enough and edged out St. John Paul II Academy 2-0. The win was some much needed relief for the Chiefs as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.
Mike Ragusa looked comfortable as he kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out six over four innings pitched. He also tossed two walks, marking his first of the season.
At the plate, Eddie Marshall was excellent, going 1-for-3 with one home run.
Meanwhile, Jensen Beach waltzed into their game on Thursday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They blew past the Jaguars 18-0. That looming 18-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Falcons yet this season.
Tanner Hughes made a splash while hitting and pitching. He pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. What's more, he gave up only zero walks, the fewest he's had since back in April of 2024. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Will Rader, who went 1-for-2 with one home run, five RBI, and three runs. Those five RBI gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Adrien Orlandi, who scored two runs while going 3-for-3.
Jensen Beach always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .688. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Cardinal Gibbons' record now sits at 2-8. As for Jensen Beach, their record now sits at 6-3.
Cardinal Gibbons' speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's contest. Cardinal Gibbons has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.7 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Jensen Beach, though, as they've been averaging only 1.3 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Cardinal Gibbons continue to outrun the ball?
Cardinal Gibbons skirted past Jensen Beach 2-1 in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Will Cardinal Gibbons repeat their success, or does Jensen Beach have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
