The Land O' Lakes Gators are taking a road trip to take on the Bishop McLaughlin Catholic Hurricanes at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are strolling into their games after big wins in their previous games.
Land O' Lakes was handed a heart-breaking two-run loss in their last match, but they sure didn't let that happen against King on Wednesday. Land O' Lakes blew past King 9-1. With that win, the Gators brought their scoring average up to 6.2 runs per game.
Land O' Lakes got a great performance from Nick Schwartz as he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only a hit while striking out ten over five innings pitched. Schwartz has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run any time he's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Santi Busot, who went 1-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI. That triple marked the first that he hit this season.
Meanwhile, after low-scoring totals in their previous three contests, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic brought some dynamite into their most recent contest. They were the clear victor by a 12-2 margin over Saint Mary's Hall on Thursday. Considering the Hurricanes' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Noah Cartiglia looked comfortable as he tossed 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. That's the fewest hits he has allowed since back in April of 2024.
At the plate, Steele Thalleen was excellent, scoring a run while going 2-for-2. Another player making a difference was Keith Jacobs, who scored two runs while going 1-for-3.
Bishop McLaughlin Catholic always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .516. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Saint Mary's Hall only posted an OBP of .364.
Land O' Lakes now has a winning record of 3-2. As for Bishop McLaughlin Catholic, their record is now 4-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Land O' Lakes has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 11 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Bishop McLaughlin Catholic struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Land O' Lakes took their victory against Bishop McLaughlin Catholic when the teams last played two weeks ago by a conclusive 11-1. The rematch might be a little tougher for Land O' Lakes since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
