Baseball Game Preview: Ridgeview Panthers vs. Christian Academy of Knoxville Warriors

The Ridgeview Panthers will take on the Christian Academy of Knoxville Warriors in a tournament on Wednesday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.

Ridgeview took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 7-5 win over Karns.

Ridgeview got a great performance from Caden Sears as he pitched 4.2 innings while giving up just two earned (and three unearned) runs off five hits. Sears has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Ridgeview let Jachob Kaplitz and Trent Peacock run wild. Kaplitz scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-3, while Peacock scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-2. That's the most runs Peacock has posted since back in April of 2024.

Meanwhile, Christian Academy of Knoxville entered their tilt with Cottondale on Tuesday with two consecutive wins , and they'll enter their next game with three. They had just enough and edged out the Hornets 7-5.

The team relied heavily on Chip Shelton, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one double. That double was his first of the season. The team also got some help courtesy of Tyler Bennett, who scored a run while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.

Ridgeview's victory bumped their record up to 5-8. As for Christian Academy of Knoxville, their win bumped their record up to 9-2-1.

Ridgeview's speedy runners might be the difference in Wednesday's game. Ridgeview has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.1 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Christian Academy of Knoxville, though, as they've been averaging only 0.9 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Ridgeview continue to outrun the ball? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.