Baseball Preview: Liberty Christian Academy Eagles vs. Granville Christian Academy
The Liberty Christian Academy Eagles will head out on the road to face off against Granville Christian Academy at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Liberty Christian Academy will be hoping to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each game than the last.
Liberty Christian Academy will head into Tuesday's contest on the come-up: they were handed a two-point loss in their last matchup, but they sure didn't let that happen against Tree of Life Christian on Tuesday. Liberty Christian Academy was the clear victor by a 17-7 margin over Tree of Life Christian.
James Rainier made a splash no matter where he played. On the mound, he pitched 5.1 innings while giving up three earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. Rainier was even better at the plate, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and a triple.
In other batting news, Caleb Windle and Evan Dupler did most of the damage at the plate: Windle scored four runs and stole three bases while going 3-for-4, while Dupler scored three runs and stole two bases while getting on base in all five of his plate appearances. Windle is trending in the right direction, as he's improved his point production for three straight games. Aiden Geiger was another key contributor, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, Granville Christian Academy was not the first on the board on Tuesday, but they got there more often. They walked away with a 6-3 victory over Delaware Christian.
Like Liberty Christian Academy, Granville Christian Academy also got a great game from a two-way player: Bentley Johnson. He struck out eight batters over six innings while giving up three earned runs off three hits. Johnson has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in six consecutive pitching appearances. Johnson was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Aidan Rhoads, who scored a run while going 3-for-4. Another player making a difference was Noah Tice, who scored a run and stole three bases while going 1-for-3.
Liberty Christian Academy's win ended a six-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 4-6. As for Granville Christian Academy, their record is now 6-3.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Liberty Christian Academy has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 6 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Granville Christian Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5.2. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Liberty Christian Academy was able to grind out a solid victory over Granville Christian Academy when the teams last played back in April of 2023, winning 6-2. Will Liberty Christian Academy repeat their success, or does Granville Christian Academy have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
