Lee Park Prep is 0-8-1 against NorthPoint Christian Academy since March of 2022 but things could change on Monday. The Knights will face off against the NightHawks at 6:00 p.m. The two teams are strolling into their games after big wins in their previous games.
Lee Park Prep barely beat Gospel Light Christian the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Knights blew past Gospel Light Christian 13-2 on Friday.
Aiden Arant was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out seven over four innings pitched. Arant was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, James Steele and Isaiah Carpenter did most of the damage at the plate: Steele scored two runs and stole two bases while going 4-for-4, while Carpenter scored two runs and stole three bases while going 2-for-3. Those three stolen bases gave Carpenter a new career-high.
Lee Park Prep always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .576. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Gospel Light Christian only posted an OBP of .158.
Meanwhile, NorthPoint Christian Academy was not the first on the board on Friday, but they got there more often. They were the clear victors by a 13-2 margin over Liberty Preparatory Christian Academy. Considering the NightHawks have won four contests by more than five runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Like Lee Park Prep, NorthPoint Christian Academy also got a great game from a two-way player: Tyler Wagner. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over six innings while giving up just two earned runs off two hits. With that strong performance, Wagner is now averaging an impressive 5.1 strikeouts per game. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one home run. That home run was his first of the season.
In other batting news, NorthPoint Christian Academy let Andrew Badolato and Reagan Price run wild. Badolato scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-3, while Price scored two runs while going 2-for-3. Badolato is becoming a predictor of NorthPoint Christian Academy's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 3-1 (and 3-5 when he doesn't). The team also got some help courtesy of Micah Enriquez, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-4.
NorthPoint Christian Academy's victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 6-6. As for Lee Park Prep, their record now sits at 2-6.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Monday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Lee Park Prep has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.2 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like NorthPoint Christian Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 9.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
