The King's Academy Lions will head out on the road to take on the Florida Christian Patriots at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday. King's Academy is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 11.2 runs per game this season.
King's Academy heads in on the heels of a playoff contest on Thursday. They fell just short of John Carroll Catholic by a score of 6-5.
King's Academy saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Caroline Duncan, who went 1-for-3 with three RBI and one double.
Meanwhile, Florida Christian won against Immaculata-La Salle on Wednesday with 15 runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Thursday. The Patriots didn't even let Miami Country Day on the board, marking the Patriots' second-straight 15-0 shutout. Considering the Patriots have won 14 matches by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Shaun Fernandez made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in eight consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one double. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Florida Christian got a massive performance out of Emily Ruiz, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. Kianny Gil was another key player, going a perfect 1-for-1 with four stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Florida Christian kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in four consecutive games.
Florida Christian is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 17-8 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.7 runs over those games. As for King's Academy, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost three of their last four matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 15-6 record this season.
Wednesday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. King's Academy hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .395. However, it's not like Florida Christian struggles in that department as they've averaged .313. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
