The IMG Academy Navy Ascenders will face off against the Countryside Cougars at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. IMG Academy Navy hasn't scored more than two runs for five games straight, a trend the squad is eager to reverse.
IMG Academy Navy saw some tournament action on Wednesday. They fell 6-1 to Eau Gallie.
IMG Academy Navy got a good showing from Ellsworth Elston, who tossed 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit.
At the plate, IMG Academy Navy saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Joonho Song, who went 1-for-4 with one triple. That triple marked the first that Song hit this season.
Meanwhile, Countryside earned an 8-5 victory over Anclote on Tuesday. The Cougars haven't had any issues with the Sharks recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.
Brady Olson tossed a big game, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out seven over five innings pitched. Those seven strikeouts gave him a new career-high.
On the hitting side, Braeden Callahan and Luke Neubauer did most of the damage at the plate: Callahan scored three runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-3, while Neubauer scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4. Those three runs gave Callahan a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Cody Hollenbeck, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-3.
IMG Academy Navy's defeat dropped their record down to 8-6. As for Countryside, their victory bumped their record up to 10-5.
Countryside's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: IMG Academy Navy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .447. It's a different story for Countryside, though, as they've only averaged .350. Will they be able to contain IMG Academy Navy's hitters?
IMG Academy Navy came out on top in a nail-biter against Countryside in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, sneaking past 8-6. Will IMG Academy Navy repeat their success, or does Countryside has a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
