Baseball Game Preview: Atlantic Shores Christian Seahawks vs. Highland Hawks

The Atlantic Shores Christian Seahawks will face off against the Highland Hawks at 1:30 p.m. on Friday. Atlantic Shores Christian's pitching crew has only allowed 3.3 runs per game this season, so Highland's hitters will have their work cut out for them.

Atlantic Shores Christian is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Monday. They had just enough and edged out North Cross 2-1. The win continues a trend for the Seahawks in their matchups with the Raiders: they've now won three in a row.

Meanwhile, Highland was able to grind out a solid victory over Virginia Episcopal School on Monday, taking the game 5-1.

Ethan Hudson made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing 1.1 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent for a while: he hasn't given up more than two walks in 12 consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.

In other pitching news, Matthew McCauley tossed a big game, striking out ten batters over 5.2 innings while giving up just one earned run off five hits (and not a single walk). Those ten strikeouts gave him a new career-high.

Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Brooks Graham, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base. Justin Summers was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Atlantic Shores Christian's win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 22-7. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.2 runs over those games. As for Highland, their record is now 25-9.

Atlantic Shores Christian came out on top in a nail-biter against Highland when the teams last played last Saturday, sneaking past 7-6. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Seahawks since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.