The Taunton Tigers will venture away from home to square off against the Xaverian Brothers Hawks at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Both teams are coming into the match red-hot, with Taunton sitting on eight straight wins and Xaverian Brothers on five.
Taunton is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They blew past Sharon 13-1 on Wednesday. The Tigers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four games by six runs or more this season.
Johnny Escobalez was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up a single earned run in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
In other pitching news, Ryan Crowley looked comfortable as he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one hit any time he's pitched this season.
Back at the plate, Cam Dorr was a standout: he went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. Will Buffington also deserves some recognition as he scored his first run of the season.
Taunton always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .524. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Xaverian Brothers came out on top against Hopkinton on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run second inning. The Hawks walked away with a 5-2 victory over the Hillers.
The team relied heavily on Jack O'Neil, who went 1-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Those four RBI gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Mike O'Keefe, who got on base in two of his three plate appearances with three stolen bases and one run.
Taunton's win was their seventh straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 8-0. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.7 runs over those games. As for Xaverian Brothers, their record is now 7-1.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Saturday as neither team is afraid to steal. Taunton has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.5 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Xaverian Brothers struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 5.4 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Everything went Taunton's way against Xaverian Brothers in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, as Taunton made off with a 7-1 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Tigers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
