Cranston West is 6-1 against St. Raphael Academy since May of 2021 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Saturday. The Falcons will square off against the Saints at 7:00 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Cranston West is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Rhode Island's top teams: Moses Brown, who was ranked 16th at the time (Cranston West was ranked fifth). The Falcons never let the Quakers get on the board and left with a 15-0 win on Saturday. The Falcons haven't had any issues with the Quakers recently, as the game was their eighth consecutive victory against them.
Mia Crudale
| 05/03/25 @ Moses Brown | 2 |
| 04/29/25 vs La Salle Academy | 1 |
| 04/25/25 vs West Warwick | 1 |
Mia Crudale made a splash no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over four innings pitched. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Siena Nardelli, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three runs. What's more, she posted three RBI, the most she's had since back in May of 2024. Gianna Dispirito was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Cranston West was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .519. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, St. Raphael Academy had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5.8 runs) and they went ahead and made it five on Wednesday. They put the hurt on the Huskies with a sharp 14-0 win. The Saints might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five games by six runs or more this season.
Like Cranston West, St. Raphael Academy also got a great game from a two-way player: Emma Martin. She looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out eight over four innings pitched. Martin was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That home run was her first of the season.
In other batting news, St. Raphael Academy let Noelle Welch and Avalynn Guatieri run wild. Welch went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one double, and one RBI, while Guatieri went 1-for-2 with one home run and two runs. That home run marked the first that Guatieri has launched this season. Another player making a difference was Sophie Roman, who went 1-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.
Cranston West's record is now 7-5. As for St. Raphael Academy, their record now sits at 9-1.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Saturday. Cranston West hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.7 home runs per game. However, it's not like St. Raphael Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 0.6 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.
Cranston West skirted past St. Raphael Academy 4-2 in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Falcons since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
