La Salle Academy has won three straight games at home, while Cumberland has won three straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Thursday. The Rams will host the Clippers at 4:30 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (La Salle Academy 3.5, Cumberland 3.6) so any runs scored will be well earned.
La Salle Academy is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Rhode Island's top teams: Barrington, who was ranked eighth at the time (La Salle Academy was ranked third). The Rams blew past the Eagles 8-1 on Wednesday. Considering the Rams have won five matches by more than five runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Matt Destefanis spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on four hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.
Brady Collins
| 05/07/25 vs Barrington | 5 |
| 04/22/25 @ Coventry | 3 |
| 04/19/25 @ Fitch | 3 |
| 04/01/24 vs Cranston West | 3 |
| 04/17/25 vs Fairfield Prep | 2 |
At the plate, Brady Collins was incredible, firing off two home runs, five RBI, and one double while going 3-for-4. Those five RBI gave him a new career-high.
Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Cumberland ultimately got the result they hoped for on Friday. They had just enough and edged out Cranston West 4-3. The win continues a trend for the Clippers in their matchups with the Falcons: they've now won four in a row.
Cumberland also let their pitcher toss all eight innings and he was also dialed-in: Liam Monahan gave up three earned runs on seven hits and racked up seven Ks.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Aidan Ray, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one run. Another player making a difference was Ben Jahnz, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI.
La Salle Academy's victory bumped their record up to 10-3. As for Cumberland, their win bumped their record up to 10-4.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. La Salle Academy hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .337. However, it's not like Cumberland struggles in that department as they've averaged .324. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
La Salle Academy took their victory against Cumberland in their previous meeting back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 8-2 score. Will the Rams repeat their success, or do the Clippers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
