Baseball Game Preview: Lakeland Christian Vikings vs. The First Academy Royals

For the second straight game, Lakeland Christian will face off against The First Academy. The Vikings will face off against the Royals at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Lakeland Christian 3, The First Academy 2.4) so any runs scored will be well earned.

Lakeland Christian heads in on the heels of a playoff matchup on Monday. They lost 10-0 to The First Academy. The pitching woes were uncharacteristic for the Vikings, who until this game were averaging three runs allowed.

For The First Academy's part, not much got past Kyle Hopper, who gave up just four hits and racked up seven Ks to keep Lakeland Christian off the board. Hopper has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Austin Pierzynski and Remo Indomenico did most of the damage at the plate: Pierzynski went 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base, while Indomenico got on base in all four of his plate appearances with three stolen bases and four runs. Those four runs gave Indomenico a new career-high. Kinon Bastian was another key player, going 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, one run, and one double.

The First Academy hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Lakeland Christian struck out seven times.

The First Academy is on a roll lately: they've won 18 of their last 19 contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 27-4 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.8 runs on average over those games. As for Lakeland Christian, the loss snapped their winning streak at three games and leaves them with a 23-9 record.

Tuesday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Lakeland Christian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .443. However, it's not like The First Academy struggles in that department as they've averaged .462. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.