The White Station Spartans will take on the First Assembly Christian Crusaders at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams are strolling into their contests after big wins in their previous games.
First Assembly Christian will face off against a team with plenty of momentum: White Station extended their winning streak to six on Tuesday. The Spartans' pitchers stepped up to hand Tipton Christian Academy a 13-0 shutout. Considering the Spartans have won nine games by more than nine runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Benjamin Mendez made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out ten over four innings pitched. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, White Station let Julian Haddad and Demarcus Covington run wild. Haddad scored a run and stole a base while going 3-for-4, while Covington scored three runs and stole three bases. That's the most stolen bases Covington has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Townsend Buring, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, First Assembly Christian got the win against Harding Academy on Tuesday by a conclusive 12-2. The Crusaders haven't had any issues with the Lions recently, as the game was their ninth consecutive victory against them.
Like White Station, First Assembly Christian also got a great game from a two-way player: Ryker Minor. He didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits over five innings pitched. Minor was also big at the plate, getting on base in all three of his plate appearances with one triple, one stolen base, and two RBI.
In other batting news, Henry Jones was a standout: he scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. First Assembly Christian is 4-0-1 when Jones posts two or more runs, but 5-14 otherwise. Christian Forrest was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
First Assembly Christian always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .613. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
White Station's win bumped their record up to 16-6. As for First Assembly Christian, their victory bumped their record up to 9-14-1.
First Assembly Christian's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: White Station hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .346. It's a different story for First Assembly Christian, though, as they've only averaged .258. Will they be able to contain White Station's hitters?
White Station might still be hurting after the 12-2 loss they got from First Assembly Christian in their previous meeting back in April of 2023. Will the Spartans have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
