Cardinal Gibbons has won three straight games at home, while SouthWest Edgecombe has won three straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Friday. The Crusaders will take on the Cougars in a tournament on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Cardinal Gibbons barely beat Cary the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Crusaders' pitchers stepped up to hand the Imps an 11-0 shutout on Tuesday. The win continues a trend for the Crusaders in their matchups with the Imps: they've now won three in a row.
The team relied heavily on Damon Phillips, who scored two runs while going 4-for-4. Another player making a difference was Matthew VanTassel, who scored a run while going 1-for-2.
Cardinal Gibbons was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .464. They are a perfect 8-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when SouthWest Edgecombe faced off against North Pitt on Friday. The Cougars put the hurt on the Panthers with a sharp 7-1 victory.
Chase Taylor made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits (and only one walk). He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in six consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 4-for-5 with four RBI, one triple, and one double. Those four RBI gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, Turner Cooke was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 4-for-5. Those four hits gave him a new career-high. Logan Webb was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing three bases while going 2-for-5.
Cardinal Gibbons' win bumped their record up to 12-5. As for SouthWest Edgecombe, their victory bumped their record up to 10-1.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Cardinal Gibbons has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .447. However, it's not like SouthWest Edgecombe struggles in that department as they've averaged .494. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
