The Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy Ospreys will face off against the United Christian Academy Crusaders at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. One thing working in Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy's favor is that they have posted at least ten runs in their last five matchups.
Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy's pitching crew heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed last Friday. They were the clear victors by a 21-0 margin over Timberlake Christian. The result was nothing new for the Ospreys, who have now won 11 contests by seven runs or more so far this season.
Ryan Canipe
| 04/25/25 vs Timberlake Christian | 13 |
| 04/02/24 @ Temple Christian | 11 |
| 03/13/25 vs Roanoke Valley Christian | 10 |
| 04/17/25 @ North Cross | 5 |
| 04/01/25 @ Timberlake Christian | 5 |
Ryan Canipe made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out 13 over five innings pitched. Those 13 strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one triple and one RBI.
In other batting news, Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy got a massive performance out of Carter Garland, who went 1-for-2 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three runs. The dominant performance also gave Garland a new career-high in RBI (four). Another player making a difference was Micah Payne, who went 2-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, and two doubles.
Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .658. They are a perfect 7-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, with a playoff win on the line, United Christian Academy rose to the challenge on Thursday. They came out on top against Ridgeview Christian by a score of 10-6. The game was the first time United Christian Academy has beaten Ridgeview Christian on their field since March 30, 2023.
Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy pushed their record up to 12-6 with the win, which was their third straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 15.7 runs over those games. As for United Christian Academy, their win ended a five-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 4-4.
Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy skirted past United Christian Academy 4-2 when the teams last played back in March of 2022. Will the Ospreys repeat their success, or do the Crusaders have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
