The Pinecrest Academy Paladins are taking a road trip to take on Cornerstone Prep Academy at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. One thing working in Pinecrest Academy's favor is that they have posted at least ten runs every time they've taken the field this season.
While Pinecrest Academy didn't have the best season last year (they finished 7-10), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They were the clear victor by a 13-2 margin over Johnson Ferry Christian Academy on Monday. Fans of the Paladins have seen this all before: every one of the games they've played this season has ended in a blowout of 6+ runs.
Mathew Sime made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he tossed four innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits. What's more, he posted five strikeouts, the most he's had since back in March of 2024. He was also big at the plate, scoring a run while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
In other batting news, Pinecrest Academy got a big performance out of Matthew Mitchell, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3. Charles Dodson was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
Pinecrest Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .543. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Johnson Ferry Christian Academy only posted an OBP of .286.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Cornerstone Prep Academy, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Friday. They put the hurt on Praise Academy with a sharp 11-1 victory on Monday. Cornerstone Prep Academy's hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Like Pinecrest Academy, Cornerstone Prep Academy also got a great game from a two-way player: Madden Ruplin. Throwing, Ruplin didn't allow a single earned run over four innings pitched. Meanwhile, Owen Dichiara tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Cornerstone Prep Academy is 2-1 when Dichiara allowstwo or fewer hits, but 0-3 otherwise. At bat, Ruplin scored a run and stole Two bases. while going 1-for-4, while Dichiara scored three runs and stole Three bases. while going 2-for-4. Ruplin also put up a hit, which was his first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Evan Dichiara, who scored two runs and stole Four bases. while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. Those stolen bases marked the first that he snagged this season. Another player making a difference was Coleson Ruplin, who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Pinecrest Academy's record now sits at 5-0. As for Cornerstone Prep Academy, their win ended a seven-game drought at home dating back to last season and bumped them up to 2-4.
Cornerstone Prep Academy's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Pinecrest Academy hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .395. It's a different story for Cornerstone Prep Academy, though, as they've only averaged .224. Will they be able to contain Pinecrest Academy's hitters?
Everything went Pinecrest Academy's way against Cornerstone Prep Academy in their previous meeting on Friday, as Pinecrest Academy made off with a 12-2 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Pinecrest Academy since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
