Wildcats
| 02/26/25 @ Auburndale | 5 |
| 02/25/25 vs Discovery | 16 |
| 02/21/25 @ Bartow | 3 |
| 02/18/25 vs Mulberry | 7 |
| 02/14/25 vs Robinson | 3 |
McKeel Academy is 1-8 against Lake Region since February of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The McKeel Academy Wildcats will be playing at home against the Lake Region Thunder at 7:00 p.m. McKeel Academy is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.8 runs per game this season.
McKeel Academy's pitching crew heads into the match hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Wednesday. They came out on top against Auburndale by a score of 5-0. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Wildcats.
Not much got past Emma Skipper, who gave up just six hits and racked up six Ks to keep Auburndale off the board. Furthermore, Skipper didn't allow a single earned run, the first time she has blanked an opponent since back in March of 2024.
On the hitting side, Brianna Shelley was a standout: she got on base in all four of her plate appearances with one triple. Kinsley Lowder was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and one double.
Meanwhile, Lake Region made easy work of Mulberry on Wednesday and carried off a 10-0 victory. The Thunder haven't had any issues with the Panthers recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive win against them.
Makenna Meadows made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out eight batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up a single earned runs any time she's pitched this season. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, Lake Region got a massive performance out of Zoelis Rosa, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI. That triple was Rosa's first of the season. Another player making a difference was Makayla Lawson, who scored a run while going 2-for-4.
Lake Region always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .564. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Mulberry only posted an OBP of .091.
McKeel Academy now has a winning record of 3-2. As for Lake Region, their victory bumped their record up to 3-1.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. McKeel Academy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .438. However, it's not like Lake Region struggles in that department as they've averaged .432. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
McKeel Academy came up short against Lake Region in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, falling 10-5. Can McKeel Academy avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
