The North Bay Haven Academy Buccaneers will square off against the Walton Braves at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. North Bay Haven Academy is coming into the match hot, having won their last nine games.
North Bay Haven Academy's pitching crew heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Wednesday. They put the hurt on Florida State University High School with a sharp 14-0 victory. The result was nothing new for the Buccaneers, who have now won 14 contests by seven runs or more so far this season.
Addison Mallon made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Mallon was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with two runs and one stolen base.
In other pitching news, Kalli Stokes looked comfortable as she pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two hits in six consecutive appearances.
Back at the plate, Kaylee Goodpaster was incredible, going 2-for-3 with five RBI, three runs, and two doubles. The team also got some help courtesy of Ally Brady, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.
North Bay Haven Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .529. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Florida State University High School only posted an OBP of .300.
Meanwhile, it can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but Walton had no problem doing just that on Monday. They were the clear victors by an 11-1 margin over the Rams.
Like North Bay Haven Academy, Walton also got a great game from a two-way player: Raina Pitts. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over 3.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and only one walk). With that strong performance, Pitts is now averaging an impressive 5 strikeouts per game. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
In other batting news, Mackenzie Peels was a standout: she went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one stolen base. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Izzy Holden, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
North Bay Haven Academy's win was their ninth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 19-3. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.9 runs over those games. As for Walton, their win bumped their record up to 9-12.
Walton's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: North Bay Haven Academy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .501. It's a different story for Walton, though, as they've only averaged .356. Will they be able to contain North Bay Haven Academy's hitters?
Everything went North Bay Haven Academy's way against Walton in their previous meeting back in March, as North Bay Haven Academy made off with a 10-0 victory. Do the Buccaneers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Braves turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
