The Pleasant Plains Cardinals will challenge the Father McGivney Catholic Griffins at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Pleasant Plains is coming into the match hot, having won their last eight games.
On Wednesday, Pleasant Plains needed a bit of extra time to put away Lincoln. They came out on top against the Railsplitters by a score of 8-4.
Sean Lowder looked comfortable as he pitched 3.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. He has been consistent for a while: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in 15 consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Charlie Severino was incredible, going 3-for-5 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. That's the most hits he has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Landon Maisenbacher, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one run.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Father McGivney Catholic, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Wednesday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Civic Memorial on Thursday, sneaking past 10-9. The victory continues a trend for the Griffins in their matchups with the Eagles: they've now won three in a row.
Dane Keeven looked comfortable as he tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits.
At the plate, Isaac Wendler was a standout: he went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run and two runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Drew Kleinheider, who went 1-for-4 with one home run and three RBI.
Father McGivney Catholic lost a few balls and finished the game with three home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.
Father McGivney Catholic's win was their 26th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 29-3. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.9 runs on average over those games. As for Pleasant Plains, their win bumped their record up to 27-5.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Pleasant Plains hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .313. However, it's not like Father McGivney Catholic struggles in that department as they've averaged .377. 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.
