The Faith Lutheran Crusaders will head out to challenge the Centennial Bulldogs at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Faith Lutheran is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.4 runs per game this season.
Faith Lutheran is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. They had just enough and edged out Shadow Ridge 5-4.
Austin Herterick looked comfortable as he pitched four innings while giving up just one earned run off six hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Rookie Shepard was excellent, going 1-for-4 with three RBI, one run, and one double. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Kingston Kela, who went 2-for-3 with one triple.
Meanwhile, Centennial faced Palo Verde in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Thursday. The Bulldogs skirted past the Panthers 3-1. Winning may never get old, but the Bulldogs sure are getting used to it with their sixth in a row.
Centennial saw seven different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Jaxon Burr, who went 1-for-4 with one triple and one RBI.
Faith Lutheran's record is now 16-13. As for Centennial, their record now sits at 24-9.
Saturday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Faith Lutheran has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .436. However, it's not like Centennial struggles in that department as they've averaged .451. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Faith Lutheran suffered a grim 12-4 defeat to Centennial when the teams last played back in March. Can the Crusaders avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
