The Covington Academy Bulldogs will square off against the Scholars Guild Academy Spartans at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both teams are coming into the game red-hot, with Covington Academy sitting on three straight wins and Scholars Guild Academy on five.
Covington Academy is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Georgia's top teams: Peachtree Academy, who was ranked second at the time (Covington Academy was ranked first). Covington Academy walked away with an 8-4 victory over Peachtree Academy on Monday.
Bryleigh Bragg
| 03/17/25 vs Peachtree Academy | 1 |
| 03/14/25 @ Trinity Prep | 1 |
| 03/13/25 @ Creekside Christian Academy | 0 |
Bryleigh Bragg was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 14 batters over 6.1 innings while giving up just one earned run off six hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, Peyton Ledoux and Elyssa Almazan did most of the damage at the plate: Ledoux scored two runs while going 2-for-3, while Almazan scored two runs while going 2-for-4. That's the most runs Almazan has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Makenzie Cowan, who scored a run while going 2-for-3.
Covington Academy kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Scholars Guild Academy got the win against Lyndon Academy on Tuesday by a conclusive 19-1. Fans of the Spartans have seen this all before: every one of the games they've played this season has ended in a blowout of 6+ runs.
Like Covington Academy, Scholars Guild Academy also got a great game from a two-way player: Alanna Maher. On the mound, she tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Maher was also big at the plate, scoring a run while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
In other batting news, Noelle Boeckman was a standout: she got on base in three of her five plate appearances with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. That home run was her first of the season. Kerrigan Welch was another key player, scoring three runs while going 2-for-3.
Scholars Guild Academy's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 5-0. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for Covington Academy, their victory bumped their record up to 4-2.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Covington Academy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .474. However, it's not like Scholars Guild Academy struggles in that department as they've averaged .579. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Covington Academy might still be hurting after the 9-2 defeat they got from Scholars Guild Academy in their previous meeting two weeks ago. Will Covington Academy have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
