Lakeland Christian is on a six-game streak of home wins, while IMG Academy Black is on a nine-game streak of away wins (dating back to last season): one of those streaks is about to end. The Lakeland Christian Vikings will host the IMG Academy Black Ascenders at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
Lakeland Christian proved they can win big on Tuesday (they won by 16) and on Thursday they proved they can win the close ones too. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past Mulberry 3-2. The Vikings haven't had any issues with the Panthers recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive win against them.
Carson Martin
| 03/13/25 vs Mulberry | 9 |
| 03/07/25 @ Lakeland | 5 |
| 02/27/25 @ Santa Fe Catholic | 5 |
| 02/17/25 @ IMG Academy | 1 |
| 02/11/25 vs Jesuit | 9 |
Carson Martin spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned runs on seven hits and racked up nine Ks. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in February.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Gavin Byrd, who went 1-for-2 with one home run and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Bryndon Barton, who went 1-for-2 with one home run.
Meanwhile, IMG Academy Black posted their closest victory since February 11th on Tuesday. They skirted past Northside Christian 4-2. The four-run effort marked the Ascenders' lowest-scoring contest of the season, but in the end it didn't matter.
Daiki Mochizuki looked comfortable as he tossed two innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one walk any time he's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, Frankie Thomas was excellent, going 1-for-3 with three RBI and one triple. That triple marked the first that he hit this season.
Lakeland Christian's win bumped their record up to 9-3. As for IMG Academy Black, their victory bumped their record up to 10-0.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Lakeland Christian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .450. However, it's not like IMG Academy Black struggles in that department as they've averaged .492. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
