Shady Side Academy hasn't had much luck against Fox Chapel recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Bulldogs will look to defend their home field against the Foxes at 4:15 p.m. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Shady Side Academy barely beat East Allegheny the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Bulldogs were the clear victors by a 13-1 margin over the Wild Cats on Monday. That looming 13-1 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Bulldogs yet this season.
Ty McCaskey
| 04/28/25 @ East Allegheny | 3 |
| 04/25/25 @ Deer Lakes | 2 |
| 04/04/25 vs Riverview | 2 |
| 04/01/25 vs South Allegheny | 2 |
| 04/15/25 @ Avonworth | 1 |
Ty McCaskey was incredible, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI. Those three hits gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was David Dillon, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, two RBI, and one double.
Shady Side Academy was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .464. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Fox Chapel had just enough and edged out Taylor Allderdice 3-2 on Tuesday.
Tristan Blum was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out ten batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits. Blum was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases and one run.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kris Bandurski, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and one stolen base. That home run marked the first that he has launched this season.
Fox Chapel pushed their record up to 12-5 with the win, which was their sixth straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.2 runs over those games. As for Shady Side Academy, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 5-12 record this season.
Shady Side Academy couldn't quite get it done against Fox Chapel when the teams last played back in April of 2024 as they fell 4-1. Will the Bulldogs have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
