Shrine Catholic is 6-1 against Clawson since April of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Knights will look to defend their home field against the Trojans at 4:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Shrine Catholic had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the eight-run drubbing they dealt Oakland Christian on Monday. The Knights put the hurt on the Lancers with a sharp 13-5 victory. The Knights haven't had any issues with the Lancers recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Sean Murphy and Nate Alba made a splash no matter where they played. Throwing, Murphy tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Alba struck out eight batters over three innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits (and not a single walk). At bat, Murphy went 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI, while Alba got on base in three of his four plate appearances with one stolen base and one run.
Jackson Poulton
| 04/28/25 @ Oakland Christian | 3 |
| 03/29/25 @ Novi Christian Academy | 2 |
| 05/28/24 @ Fordson | 2 |
| 05/25/24 @ Marysville | 2 |
| 05/07/24 vs Greenhills | 2 |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Jackson Poulton, who got on base in all five of his plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Those three runs gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Blake Archibald, who got on base in three of his five plate appearances with two stolen bases, one run, and one double.
Meanwhile, Clawson waltzed into their match on Wednesday with seven straight wins... but they left with eight. Their pitchers stepped up to hand the Dragons a 15-0 shutout. That looming 15-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Trojans yet this season.
Like Shrine Catholic, Clawson also got a great game from a pair of two-way players: Trent Stephan. On the mound, Stephan tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Jackson Hein tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. At the plate, Stephan went 2-for-3 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run, while Hein earned one RBI, one run, and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Elliott Groves was incredible, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with four runs, one triple, and one stolen base. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Steven Chapman, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI.
Clawson always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .586. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Shrine Catholic's victory was their seventh straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 10-3. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Clawson, their victory bumped their record up to 11-5.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Shrine Catholic has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Clawson struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5.4 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Shrine Catholic came out on top in a nail-biter against Clawson when the teams last played back in April of 2024, sneaking past 9-8. Do the Knights have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Trojans turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
