The Tampa Catholic Crusaders will square off against the Berkeley Prep Buccaneers at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Tampa Catholic 3.1, Berkeley Prep 3.7) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Tampa Catholic is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. They were the clear victors by an 8-2 margin over Carrollwood Day. The result was nothing new for the Crusaders, who have now won nine contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Tampa Catholic got a great performance from FINN FLUKER as he pitched 4.2 innings while giving up just two earned runs off six hits. FLUKER has been consistent for a while: he hasn't given up more than one walk in nine consecutive appearances.
At the plate, COLE BITMAN was a standout: he went 2-for-4 with one home run and three RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of BRAYDEN BEAUCHAINE, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Berkeley Prep waltzed into their matchup on Wednesday with four straight wins... but they left with five. Their pitchers stepped up to hand the Hurricanes a 5-0 shutout.
Josh Herrmann was incredible, going a perfect 1-for-1 with one home run and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Lucas Farrar, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Berkeley Prep hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least four batters in five consecutive games.
Berkeley Prep's victory bumped their record up to 21-5. As for Tampa Catholic, their win bumped their record up to an identical 21-5.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Tampa Catholic hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .338. However, it's not like Berkeley Prep struggles in that department as they've averaged .330. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Tampa Catholic was able to grind out a solid victory over Berkeley Prep when the teams last played back in February, winning 11-7. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Crusaders since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
