The Hollins Royals will head out on the road to square off against the IMG Academy Black Ascenders at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average, (Hollins: 3.6, IMG Academy Black: 2.7) so any runs scored will be well earned.
On Monday, Hollins didn't have quite enough to beat Osceola and fell 4-2. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Royals have suffered against the Warriors since March 5, 2021.
Riley McDonald put in work no matter where he played. He struck out 14 batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off one hit. He is becoming a predictor of Hollins' success: when he allows at most one hit the team is 2-1 (and 1-3 when he doesn't). McDonald was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with one home run.
Teagan Davies
| 03/03/25 vs Osceola | 4 |
| 04/16/24 vs Calvary Christian | 3 |
| 04/26/24 @ IMG Academy Gray | 2 |
| 04/18/24 vs IMG Academy Silver | 2 |
| 03/28/24 @ Osceola | 2 |
In other batting news, Teagan Davies made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and scored a run while going 4-for-4. Those four hits gave him a new career-high. Alain Esquivel also deserves some recognition as he got his first hit of the season.
Meanwhile, IMG Academy Black put another one in the bag on Monday to keep their perfect season alive. They put the hurt on Gulf Coast with a sharp 17-2 victory. That 15 run margin sets a new team best for the Ascenders this season.
Daiki Mochizuki looked comfortable as he struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up just two earned runs off two hits (and not a single walk). He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one walk any time he's pitched this season.
At the plate, Sebastian Wilson was a standout: he went 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. Another player making a difference was Nate Lynn, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-2.
IMG Academy Black kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 16 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in five consecutive matches.
Hollins' loss ended a five-game streak of wins at home dating back to last season and dropped them to 3-4. A key ingredient in that success has been their performance when it comes to hits: they averaged an imposing 9.6 hits in those games compared to only 4.83 in the others. As for IMG Academy Black, their win was their eighth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 7-0.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Hollins has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like IMG Academy Black struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.4 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Hollins suffered a grim 6-0 defeat to IMG Academy Black in their previous matchup back in March of 2024. Can Hollins avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
