Baseball Game Preview: Jackson Prep Patriots vs. Hartfield Academy Hawks

For the second straight game, Jackson Prep will face off against Hartfield Academy. The Patriots will welcome the Hawks at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Jackson Prep is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.6 runs per game this season.

Jackson Prep is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Mississippi's top teams: Hartfield Academy, who was ranked first at the time (Jackson Prep was ranked 12th). The Patriots fell just short of the Hawks by a score of 8-6 on Tuesday. The Patriots' loss signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.

Matthew McKinley

Batters Struck Out

04/08/25 @ Hartfield Academy	7
04/01/25 @ St. Joseph Catholic	7
03/25/25 vs Madison-Ridgeland Academy	6

Matthew McKinley was huge while hitting and pitching even without the win. On the mound, he struck out seven batters over five innings while giving up three earned (and three unearned) runs off four hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.

In other pitching news, Jackson Prep got a good showing from Bodie Akins, who pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Akins has been consistent for a while: he hasn't given up more than two hits in ten consecutive appearances.

Back at the plate, Parker Puckett was cooking despite his team's loss, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 3-for-3. The team also got some help courtesy of Tre' Bryant, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.

The win (which was Hartfield Academy's 11th in a row) raised their record to 20-2. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.5 runs on average over those games. As for Jackson Prep, their defeat dropped their record down to 16-8-1.

Thursday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Jackson Prep hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .328. However, it's not like Hartfield Academy struggles in that department as they've averaged .354. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.