The Bishop Canevin Crusaders will face off against the Leechburg Blue Devils at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Bishop Canevin will be strutting in after a win while Leechburg will be coming in after a defeat.
Bishop Canevin was handed a heart-breaking two-run loss in their last contest, but they sure didn't let that happen against Steel Valley on Wednesday. The Crusaders were the clear victors by a 9-2 margin over the Ironmen. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Crusaders as it put an end to their five-game losing streak.
John Poppert spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on five hits and racked up seven Ks. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in three consecutive appearances.
Brady Wagner
| 05/06/26 @ Steel Valley | 3 |
| 04/13/26 vs Springdale | 2 |
| 03/21/26 @ Washington | 2 |
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Brady Wagner, who went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. He is becoming a predictor of Bishop Canevin's success: when he posts at least two stolen bases the team is 2-1 (and 4-11 when he doesn't). Christian Cox was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Leechburg came up short against Apollo Ridge on Thursday and fell 6-3. The Blue Devils have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Dylan Whitlinger was cooking despite his team's loss, going 1-for-2 with two stolen bases and two runs. Another player making a difference was Jaxon Vargo, who earned one RBI, one run, and one stolen base.
Leechburg's defeat dropped their record down to 9-7. As for Bishop Canevin, their win bumped their record up to 6-12.
Bishop Canevin was able to grind out a solid victory over Leechburg in their previous meeting back in May of 2023, winning 4-1. Will the Crusaders repeat their success, or do the Blue Devils have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
