The Wake Prep Academy Guardians will head out on the road to face off against the Athens Drive Jaguars at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Wake Prep Academy had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the eight-run drubbing they dealt Neuse Christian Academy last Friday. Wake Prep Academy put the hurt on Neuse Christian Academy with a sharp 13-5 victory. The win was familiar territory for the Guardians, who have now won three games in a row.
Charlize Kell made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing four innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off four hits. Kell was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing two bases while getting on base in two of her three plate appearances.
In other batting news, Wake Prep Academy got a massive performance out of Annalise Masinick, who scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in five of her six plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Kyndall Miller, who scored three runs and stole three bases while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.
Wake Prep Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .558. They are 2-1 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Athens Drive hadn't done well against Sanderson recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. Athens Drive blew past Sanderson 15-2. The matchup marked the Jaguars' most dominant victory of the season.
Like Wake Prep Academy, Athens Drive also got a great game from a two-way player: Julia Seriguchi Chen. On the mound, she struck out six batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits (and not a single walk). That's the fewest hits Seriguchi Chen has allowed since back in March of 2024. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 3-for-5.
In other batting news, Cora Driscoll and Isabelle Catalano did most of the damage at the plate: Driscoll scored three runs while going 4-for-5, while Catalano went 1-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Those four hits gave Driscoll a new career-high. Hannah Henry also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
The win got Wake Prep Academy back to even at 3-3. As for Athens Drive, their victory ended an 11-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 3-8.
Wake Prep Academy's speedy runners might be the difference in Monday's contest. Wake Prep Academy has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 8.5 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Athens Drive, though, as they've been averaging only 1.1 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Wake Prep Academy continue to outrun the ball?
Wake Prep Academy couldn't quite get it done against Athens Drive when the teams last played back in February of 2024 as they fell 9-6. Can Wake Prep Academy avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
