The Kirtland Hornets will head out on the road to challenge the Crestwood Red Devils at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. Kirtland is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 11 runs per game this season.
If Kirtland beats Crestwood with eight runs on Monday, it's going to be the squad's new lucky number: they've won their past two matchups with that exact score. Kirtland came out on top against Lutheran West by a score of 8-5 on Friday. The victory made it back-to-back wins for Kirtland.
Gino Blasini spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered four earned (and one unearned) runs on ten hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't pitched less than five innings in five consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Macguire Boyd, who went 1-for-3 with four RBI, a run, and a double. Another player making a difference was Max Paul, who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in two of his three plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Crestwood was not able to break out of their rough patch on Saturday as the team picked up their fourth straight defeat. They took a 5-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of Benedictine. The contest marked the first time this season in which Crestwood was not able to get on the board.
Crestwood saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Bobby Bradley, who went 1-for-3 with a double.
Kirtland pushed their record up to 11-1 with that win, which was their eighth straight at home. As for Crestwood, they now have a losing record at 4-5.
Kirtland's speedy runners might be the difference in Monday's game. Kirtland has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.7 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Crestwood, though, as they've been averaging only 1.1. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Kirtland continue to outrun the ball?
Everything went Kirtland's way against Crestwood when the teams last played back in May of 2023 as Kirtland made off with a 12-4 victory. Does Kirtland have another victory up their sleeve, or will Crestwood turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
