After four games on the road, Veritas Prep is heading back home. They will take on the Gilbert Classical Academy Spartans at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday. Veritas Prep is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 8 runs per game this season.
Veritas Prep put the finishing touches on their third blowout victory of the season on Thursday. Everything went their way against Madison Highland Prep as Veritas Prep made off with a 13-6 win.
Logan Cortes and Cade Huseth were a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, Cortes tossed 1.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Meanwhile, Huseth struck out 11 batters over 5.2 innings while giving up just two earned (and four unearned) runs off four hits. Cortes has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two hits in three consecutive pitching appearances. At the plate, Cortes scored a run and stole a base, while Huseth scored a run while going 1-for-5.
In other batting news, Kishan Bhatnagar was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing three bases while going 2-for-4. The team also got some help courtesy of Ethan Strickland, who scored a run while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Gilbert Classical Academy fought the good fight in their extra-innings match against Glendale Prep Academy on Wednesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Griffins by a score of 6-5. Gilbert Classical Academy's loss signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.
Gilbert Classical Academy saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Max Fioresi, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-4. Ryan Roco was another key contributor, scoring a run while getting on base in three of his five plate appearances.
Veritas Prep's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 5-3. Those victories were due in large part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.5 runs per game. As for Gilbert Classical Academy, their defeat ended a three-game streak of away wins and brought them to 7-5.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both teams have some strikeout artists on the roster. Veritas Prep has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 10.4 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Gilbert Classical Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 10.4. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Veritas Prep came up short against Gilbert Classical Academy in their previous meeting back in April of 2023, falling 7-4. Thankfully for Veritas Prep, Cole Dunnett (who tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (he also only allowed one walk)) 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
