Cheney is 1-7 against Gonzaga Prep since April of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Blackhawks will host the Bullpups at 4:00 p.m. Cheney is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.8 runs per game this season.
On Tuesday, Cheney narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past Ferris 9-8. The victory continues a trend for the Blackhawks in their matchups with the Saxons: they've now won nine in a row.
Coleman Randles made a splash no matter where he played. He pitched 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Randles was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in two of his four plate appearances.
Brayden Martin
| 04/01/25 vs Ferris | 3 |
| 04/23/24 vs Ferris | 2 |
| 03/19/24 vs Mead | 2 |
| 03/27/25 vs Central Valley | 1 |
| 03/19/25 vs West Valley | 1 |
In other batting news, Cheney let Brayden Martin and Jacob Ulrich run wild. Martin scored two runs and stole three bases while getting on base in two of his four plate appearances, while Ulrich scored a run while going 2-for-3. Those three stolen bases gave Martin a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Dawes Hanson, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Gonzaga Prep). They were the clear victors by a 14-6 margin over University on Tuesday. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Bullpups considering their two-run performance the matchup before.
Like Cheney, Gonzaga Prep also got a great game from a two-way player: Connor Wood. On the mound, he tossed six innings while giving up six earned runs off six hits. Wood has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, Brady Strahl was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4. He also put up a double, which was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Jackson Mott, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
Gonzaga Prep kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Gonzaga Prep has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a nice bump to their 5-2 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.5 runs on average over those games. As for Cheney, their victory bumped their record up to 4-2.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Cheney has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Gonzaga Prep struggles in that department as they've been averaging 2.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Cheney might still be hurting after the 12-4 defeat they got from Gonzaga Prep when the teams last played back in March of 2024. Can the Blackhawks avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
