The Cleveland Rams will take on the Faith Christian Patriots in a tournament on Saturday. Cleveland is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.6 runs per game this season.
Cleveland barely beat Willow Spring the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Rams blew past the Storm 14-4 on Tuesday. The victory was some much needed relief for the Rams as it spelled an end to their four-game losing streak.
Henry Blackman was a standout: he scored two runs while going 2-for-4. Alex Hernandez was another key player, scoring two runs while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Faith Christian waltzed into their matchup on Thursday with five straight wins... but they left with six. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured an 8-7 W against the Warriors.
Andrew Rine made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he tossed four innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits. What's more, he posted three strikeouts, the most he's had since back in March. He was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Tanner Trevathan, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Those four RBI gave him a new career-high.
Faith Christian pushed their record up to 15-3 with the win, which was their ninth straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.9 runs on average over those games. As for Cleveland, their win bumped their record up to 9-7.
Saturday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Cleveland has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .433. However, it's not like Faith Christian struggles in that department as they've averaged .488. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
