St. Augustine is 0-5 against Bishop Kenny since April of 2021 but things could change on Friday. The Yellow Jackets will face off against the Crusaders at 6:30 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
St. Augustine is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. They had just enough and edged out Menendez 14-13. The Yellow Jackets' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Drew O'Quinn
| 04/15/26 vs Menendez | 11 |
| 03/07/25 vs Tocoi Creek | 4 |
| 04/09/26 @ Middleburg | 2 |
| 03/20/25 vs St. Joseph Academy | 2 |
| 02/27/25 vs Atlantic Coast | 2 |
Drew O'Quinn and Maddux Dowler were major factors no matter where they played. On the mound, O'Quinn kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 11 over 5.2 innings pitched. Meanwhile, Dowler tossed 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Those 11 strikeouts gave O'Quinn a new career-high. At the plate, O'Quinn got on base in five of his seven plate appearances with two doubles and one RBI, while Dowler went 2-for-6 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
In other batting news, Caiden Smith was a standout: he got on base in four of his seven plate appearances with one home run, two runs, and one double. He has become a key player for St. Augustine: the team is 5-1 when he posts at least two runs, but 9-11 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Josiah Vargas, who got on base in four of his seven plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
St. Augustine kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Bishop Kenny made easy work of Yulee on Wednesday and carried off a 12-1 win. The contest marked the Crusaders' most dominant victory of the season.
Daly Stephens looked comfortable as he tossed 3.2 innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in eight consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Bishop Kenny let Henry Dillard and Braxton Dowdle run wild. Dillard went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI, while Dowdle went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs and one RBI. Andres Diaz was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three runs and one RBI.
The win made it two in a row for Bishop Kenny and bumps their season record up to 14-12. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered a grand total of 2 run in those games. As for St. Augustine, their record is now 14-12.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. St. Augustine has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Bishop Kenny struggles in that department as they've been averaging 6.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
St. Augustine couldn't quite get it done against Bishop Kenny when the teams last played back in April of 2025 as they fell 6-3. Can the Yellow Jackets avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
