The Dr. Joaquin Garcia Bulldogs will square off against the King's Academy Lions at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Dr. Joaquin Garcia is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.2 runs per game this season.
Tuesday just wasn't the day for Dr. Joaquin Garcia's offense. They came up short against Palm Beach Central on Tuesday, falling 10-0. The Bulldogs have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Meanwhile, King's Academy entered their tilt with Forest Hill on Tuesday with two consecutive wins , and they'll enter their next game with three. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Falcons an 18-0 shutout. Considering the Lions have won ten matchups by more than six runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Caroline Duncan was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 11 over four innings pitched. With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 5.1 strikeouts per game. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring three runs while going 2-for-3. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April of 2024.
In other batting news, Lyla Diblasi was incredible, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run, four runs, and one double. The dominant performance gave her a new career-high in runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Gracyn Needle, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
King's Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .639. They are a perfect 9-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
King's Academy pushed their record up to 10-2 with the victory, which was their fourth straight on the road. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.8 runs on average over those games. As for Dr. Joaquin Garcia, their loss dropped their record down to 7-6.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Dr. Joaquin Garcia has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .461. However, it's not like King's Academy struggles in that department as they've averaged .567. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Dr. Joaquin Garcia suffered a grim 15-6 defeat to King's Academy in their previous meeting back in February. Will Dr. Joaquin Garcia have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
