The Seaholm Maples will head out on the road to square off against the Avondale Yellowjackets at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Seaholm's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Thursday. They put the hurt on Ferndale with a sharp 19-0 victory. The win was familiar territory for the Maples, who have now won six contests in a row.
Brandon Gottesman made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Gottesman was also big at the plate, going a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI.
In other batting news, Keegan Jordan was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, one run, and one double. Matthew Strawn also deserves some recognition as he got his first hit of the season.
Seaholm hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least three batters in four consecutive games.
Avondale came out on top against Southfield Arts & Tech on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive 11-run second inning. The Yellowjackets blew past the Warriors 15-0. The victory continues a trend for the Yellowjackets in their matchups with the Warriors: they've now won five in a row.
Like Seaholm, Avondale also got a great game from a two-way player: Cooper Stepp. On the mound, he struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). Stepp was also solid in the batter's box, earning two RBI, one run, and one stolen base.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Natheer Huskic, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two RBI, one run, and one double. Another player making a difference was Jack Ostroske, who went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
Seaholm's win was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 7-1. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.8 runs over those games. As for Avondale, they now have a winning record of 5-4.
Monday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Seaholm has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .527. However, it's not like Avondale 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.
Seaholm took their win against Avondale when the teams last played back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 10-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Maples since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
