Sewickley Academy will square off against the Freedom Area Bulldogs at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
As a matter of fact, Sewickley Academy put up the most runs they have all season on Wednesday. They never let Monessen get on the board and left with a 15-0 victory. The win continues a trend for Sewickley Academy in their matchups with Monessen: they've now won five in a row.
Austin Fritz made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out seven over four innings pitched. Fritz was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
Billy Pietragallo
| 04/09/25 @ Monessen | 4 |
| 05/01/24 @ Clairton | 3 |
| 05/14/24 @ Western Beaver | 2 |
| 04/29/24 vs Clairton | 2 |
| 04/01/25 vs West Greene | 1 |
In other batting news, Billy Pietragallo was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, four runs, and two stolen bases. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in RBI (four). Another player making a difference was Nolan Donnelly, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three stolen bases, two RBI, and one double.
Sewickley Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .639. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Freedom Area hadn't done well against Neshannock recently (they were 1-6 in their previous seven matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Wednesday. The Bulldogs had just enough and edged out the Lancers 15-13. The victory was some much needed relief for the Bulldogs as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.
The team relied heavily on Mason O'Donnell, who scored two runs while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances. Freedom Area is undefeated when O'Donnell posts two or more runs, but 1-4 otherwise. Nick Fessler was another key player, scoring three runs while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances.
Sewickley Academy's first win this season bumped their record up to 1-5. As for Freedom Area, the victory got them back to even at 4-4.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Sewickley Academy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .475. However, it's not like Freedom Area struggles in that department as they've averaged .475. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
