The Trinity Christian Gryphons will head out to challenge the Saint John Paul the Great Catholic Wolves at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
As a matter of fact, Trinity Christian put up the most runs they have all season on Thursday. Everything went their way against Quantico as they made off with a 23-1 victory. Considering the Gryphons have won six matches by more than six runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Graham Stephenson and Grady Frank were major factors no matter where they played. On the mound, Stephenson struck out six batters over 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Meanwhile, Frank struck out six batters over 2.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). Stephenson has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. At bat, Stephenson went a perfect 1-for-1 with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI, while Frank got on base in all four of his plate appearances with three stolen bases, four runs, and four RBI. Those two stolen bases gave Stephenson a new career-high.
Ryan Gardner
| 04/24/25 vs Quantico | 4 |
| 04/22/25 @ Immanuel Christian | 3 |
| 04/15/25 @ Flint Hill | 3 |
| 04/08/25 vs Fredericksburg Christian | 4 |
| 04/05/25 @ St. Anne's-Belfield | 1 |
| + 3 more games |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Ryan Gardner, who went 3-for-4 with four stolen bases, four RBI, and two runs. He has been hot, having posted at least one stolen base the last eight times he's played. Ethan Tiede was another key player, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with four stolen bases and four runs.
Trinity Christian always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .622. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Quantico only posted an OBP of .211.
Meanwhile, Saint John Paul the Great Catholic made easy work of Northstar Christian Academy last Wednesday and carried off a 10-1 win.
Levi Reale spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered a run (which was unearned) on two hits and racked up 11 Ks. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Saint John Paul the Great Catholic is 3-1 when he allows at most one earned run, but 3-8 otherwise.
On the hitting side, Saint John Paul the Great Catholic let James Fuller and James Genovese run wild. Fuller went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run, while Genovese went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. Genovese is becoming a predictor of Saint John Paul the Great Catholic's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 2-9 when he doesn't). The team also got some help courtesy of Liam Kennedy, who got on base in all three of his plate appearances with one run and one RBI.
Trinity Christian pushed their record up to 10-5 with the victory, which was their sixth straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.7 runs over those games. As for Saint John Paul the Great Catholic, they have been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a nice bump to their 6-9 record this season.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Trinity Christian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .480. However, it's not like Saint John Paul the Great Catholic struggles in that department as they've averaged .438. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Trinity Christian skirted past Saint John Paul the Great Catholic 6-5 when the teams last played on April 3rd. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Gryphons since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
