The Union Catholic Vikings will head out to take on the Oratory Prep Rams at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Union Catholic took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. They walked away with a 14-9 victory over Scotch Plains-Fanwood. The high-scoring effort was just what the Vikings needed considering they were shut out in their previous matchup.
| 04/16/25 vs Scotch Plains-Fanwood | 3 |
| 04/03/25 vs Union | 2 |
| 04/08/25 @ New Providence | 1 |
| 05/16/24 @ Dayton | 1 |
Brayden Morrison was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3. Those three runs gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Chris Wilson, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-5.
Union Catholic hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Scotch Plains-Fanwood struck out seven times.
Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Oratory Prep ultimately got the result they hoped for on Tuesday. They skirted past Dayton 3-2.
Peter Van Raamsdonk looked comfortable as he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent : he hasn't given up more than one walk any time he's pitched this season.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Logan Costello, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances.
Union Catholic pushed their record up to 5-2 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.6 runs over those games. As for Oratory Prep, the win got them back to even at 3-3.
Oratory Prep's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Union Catholic hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .318. It's a different story for Oratory Prep, though, as they've only averaged .250. Will they be able to contain Union Catholic's hitters?
Union Catholic was able to grind out a solid victory over Oratory Prep in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, winning 9-6. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Vikings since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
