Baseball Game Preview: Hopi Bruins vs. Northland Prep Academy Spartans

The Hopi Bruins are taking a road trip to square off against the Northland Prep Academy Spartans at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Hopi hasn't scored more than two runs for four games straight, a trend the team is eager to reverse.

Hopi fell victim to Round Valley and their airtight pitching crew on Wednesday. They came up short against the Elks, falling 15-0. The contest marked the first time this season in which the Bruins were not able to get on the board.

Meanwhile, Northland Prep Academy gave up the first runs last Tuesday, but they didn't let that get them down. They were the clear victors by a 14-5 margin over Pinon. The result was nothing new for the Spartans, who have now won five games by nine runs or more so far this season.

Colson Skersick made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching four innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off only two hits. Skersick was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing three bases while going 3-for-3. He is becoming a predictor of Northland Prep Academy's success: when he posts at least two stolen bases the team is undefeated (and 1-4 when he doesn't).

In other batting news, Blayden Cosper was a standout: he went 3-for-5 with three RBI, one triple, and one run. Those three hits gave him a new career-high. Wyatt Massey was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.

Northland Prep Academy 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 five consecutive matches.

Northland Prep Academy now has a winning record of 5-4. As for Hopi, their loss dropped their record down to 3-8.

Hopi suffered a grim 22-0 defeat to Northland Prep Academy in their previous meeting back in March of 2016. Can the Bruins avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.