La Salle Academy is 8-2 against Portsmouth since April of 2019 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Rams will take on the Patriots at 4:30 p.m. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
La Salle Academy will roll into the contest after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any runs on Friday, then bounced right back against Smithfield on Thursday. The Rams blew past the Sentinels 12-2. Considering the Rams' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Matt Destefanis tossed a big game, pitching five innings while giving up just two earned runs off seven hits. What's more, he posted three strikeouts, the most he's had since back in May of 2024.
Thomas Malloy
| 04/10/25 vs Smithfield | 5 |
| 05/31/24 @ Cumberland | 1 |
| 05/20/24 @ Pilgrim | 1 |
| 05/06/24 @ Smithfield | 1 |
| 04/27/24 @ Coventry | 1 |
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Thomas Malloy, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, five RBI, and two runs. Those five RBI gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Angelo Fuscellaro, who scored two runs while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, the third road matchup was the charm for Portsmouth, as they earned their first away victory of the season. They had just enough and edged out Lincoln 7-5. The Patriots' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Portsmouth also got a great performance from Cameron Ruggieri as he struck out six batters over 6.2 innings while giving up three earned (and two unearned) runs off eight hits.
At the plate, Andrew Chartier was excellent, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in both of his plate appearances. Avery Amaio also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen base of the season.
Portsmouth's first win this season bumped their record up to 1-3. As for La Salle Academy, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-2.
La Salle Academy beat Portsmouth 4-1 in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Rams since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
