University Christian hasn't had much luck against St. Johns Country Day recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Christians will take on the Spartans at 7:00 p.m. University Christian's pitching crew has only allowed 3.6 runs per game this season, so St. Johns Country Day's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
University Christian is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Thursday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand St. Joseph Academy an 11-0 shutout. The result was nothing new for the Christians, who have now won 11 matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
Caden Worbington
| 05/01/25 @ St. Joseph Academy | 3 |
| 03/31/25 vs Christ's Church Academy | 1 |
| 03/24/25 @ Flagler Palm Coast | 5 |
Caden Worbington made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run over five innings pitched. What's more, he posted three strikeouts, the most he's had since back in March. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one run and one RBI.
In other batting news, Bryson Harnage and Corey Wimberly did most of the damage at the plate: Harnage went 2-for-3 with three RBI, one triple, and one run, while Wimberly went 1-for-2 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. The dominant performance also gave Wimberly a new career-high in RBI (two). Mason McLeod was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.
Meanwhile, St. Johns Country Day had already won six in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 9.7 runs) and they went ahead and made it seven on Tuesday. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured an 8-7 W against the Eagles. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Spartans have posted since April 4th.
Like University Christian, St. Johns Country Day also got a great game from a two-way player: Hunter Rodgers. On the mound, he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Rodgers was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in all five of his plate appearances.
In other pitching news, St. Johns Country Day got a great performance from Ethan Bissell as he struck out six batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off four hits. Bissell has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances.
Back at the plate, Nick Bowden was incredible, going 2-for-5 with one home run, four RBI, and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Gibby Gilliand, who went 2-for-5 with one home run and two runs.
St. Johns Country Day's victory was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 23-8. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.5 runs over those games. As for University Christian, they are on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five games. That's provided a nice bump to their 21-9 record this season.
Monday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. University Christian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .446. However, it's not like St. Johns Country Day struggles in that department as they've averaged .445. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
University Christian couldn't quite get it done against St. Johns Country Day in their previous matchup back in May of 2024 as they fell 8-3. Can the Christians avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
