The St. Mary's Ryken Knights will challenge the St. Michaels Saints at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. St. Mary's Ryken is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.8 runs per game this season.
St. Mary's Ryken easily dispatched Archbishop Carroll on Wednesday, but unfortunately both the margin and the ultimate result were a different story in this one. The Knights fell just short of Gonzaga by a score of 5-3 on Thursday. The Knights' defeat signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.
Jason Gregory made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went a perfect 4-for-4 with two stolen bases, three doubles, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Austin Michael, who went 1-for-3 with two runs and one double.
St. Michaels hadn't beaten Easton on the road since April 18, 2017 but that history sure didn't bother them on Monday. The Saints were the clear victors by a 7-1 margin over the Warriors. The result was nothing new for the Saints, who have now won six games by six runs or more so far this season.
Will Sherwood made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out seven over 6.2 innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in May of 2024. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.
Sherwood wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Pearson Greenwood, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Connor Wheeler was another, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with one stolen base and one run.
St. Michaels pushed their record up to 8-2 with the win, which was their fourth straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.8 runs on average over those games. As for St. Mary's Ryken, their loss dropped their record down to 10-9.
Saturday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. St. Mary's Ryken has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .457. However, it's not like St. Michaels struggles in that department as they've averaged .526. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went St. Mary's Ryken's way against St. Michaels in their previous matchup back in April of 2023, as St. Mary's Ryken made off with an 11-1 win. Do the Knights have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Saints turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
