The Osceola Warriors will venture away from home to square off against the IMG Academy Silver Ascenders at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Osceola's pitching crew has only allowed 3.3 runs per game this season, so IMG Academy Silver's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
On Tuesday, Osceola was able to grind out a solid victory over Countryside, taking the game 5-2.
Cooper Walker looked comfortable as he tossed 3.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Osceola is undefeated when he allows at most one earned run, but 1-2 otherwise.
On the hitting side, Osceola let Kaden DeLeeuw and Ethan Futch run wild. DeLeeuw scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-3, while Futch scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4. The dominant performance gave DeLeeuw a new career-high in stolen bases.
Meanwhile, IMG Academy Silver won against Fort Meade on Thursday with four runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Tuesday. IMG Academy Silver never let Cambridge Christian get on the board and left with a 4-0 win. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Ascenders.
Henry Britt looked comfortable as he pitched 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Gavin Lemonds, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-2. JP Piles was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
Osceola's record now sits at 4-2. As for IMG Academy Silver, their record is now an identical 4-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Osceola has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 11 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like IMG Academy Silver struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Osceola skirted past IMG Academy Silver 4-3 in their previous meeting back in March of 2024. Will Osceola repeat their success, or does IMG Academy Silver have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
