Preview: Peniel Baptist Academy Warriors vs. St. John Lutheran Saints
Peniel Baptist Academy has enjoyed a four-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will face off against the St. John Lutheran Saints at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Peniel Baptist Academy never got on the board in their matchup two weeks ago, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against First Baptist Christian Academy two weeks ago. They were the clear victor by a 17-11 margin over the Crusaders. Peniel Baptist Academy's hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Peniel Baptist Academy let Brody Lail and Preston Fields loose on the outfield. Lail scored three runs and stole three bases while going 3-for-5, while Fields scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Scout Ziegler, who went 1-for-3 with a home run and two runs.
Meanwhile, St. John Lutheran waltzed into their match on Monday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They had just enough and edged the Minutemen out 9-8. St. John Lutheran had a rough season last year, but they look ready to turn that poor record around this year.
Christian Bessoni made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned run or hits (and only one walk). Bessoni has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in three consecutive pitching appearances. Bessoni was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 2-for-5.
In other batting news, Bryce Disimile was incredible, scoring a run and stealing four bases while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances. He has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times he's played. Luis Roman was another key contributor, scoring two runs while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances.
Peniel Baptist Academy's victory ended a four-game drought at home and bumped them up to 1-6. As for St. John Lutheran, they pushed their record up to 8-2 with that win, which was their fourth straight on the road.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Peniel Baptist Academy has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like St. John Lutheran struggles in that department as they've been averaging 6.2 per game. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Peniel Baptist Academy took their victory against St. John Lutheran in their previous meeting back in April of 2023 by a conclusive 14-4. The rematch might be a little tougher for Peniel Baptist Academy since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
