After three games on the road, Cardinal Newman is heading back home. They will take on the Benjamin Buccaneers at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Last Wednesday, Cardinal Newman beat Central 6-1.
Cardinal Newman got a great performance from Max Gonzalez as he struck out eight batters over six innings while giving up just one earned run off five hits. Gonzalez has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in three consecutive pitching appearances. Alex Thompson picked up the save, tossing an inning while giving up no earned runs or hits (he also didn't allow any walks).
On the hitting side, Dominic Demarzo and Carsan Strolla did most of the damage at the plate: Demarzo scored a run and stole a base while going 3-for-4, while Strolla went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI. Finn Duran was another key contributor, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Benjamin was not the first on the board last Tuesday, but they got there more often. They came out on top against Jensen Beach by a score of 7-3. With that victory, Benjamin brought their scoring average up to 6.2 runs per game.
Benjamin also got a great performance from Cannon Baughman as he struck out seven batters over 4.2 innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off four hits.
At the plate, Drew Buchanan was excellent, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Benjamin Swank, who scored a run while going 2-for-3.
Cardinal Newman's win bumped their record up to 10-3-1. As for Benjamin, the victory made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 9-3.
Tuesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Cardinal Newman has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .441. However, it's not like Benjamin struggles in that department as they've averaged .442. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Cardinal Newman came up short against Benjamin in their previous matchup back in May of 2023, falling 8-3. Thankfully for Cardinal Newman, Parker McGraw (who didn't allow a single earned run and only one hit over four innings pitched) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
