Baseball Preview: Grace Christian Patriots vs. Foundation Christian Academy Panthers
Grace Christian is 1-9 against Foundation Christian Academy since February of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Grace Christian Patriots will be staying on the road to face off against the Foundation Christian Academy Panthers at 4:00 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the pair will really light up the scoreboard.
Grace Christian scored the most runs they've had all season to find success on Monday. They blew past Eastland Christian 21-1. The team's explosion at the plate also rewarded Grace Christian with their most commanding win of the season.
Bryce Purkey made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out eight batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. Purkey has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive pitching appearances. Purkey was also big at the plate, getting on base in all five of his plate appearances with three RBI and a double.
In other batting news, Braden Johns was incredible, going 3-for-4 with three stolen bases, four RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Thomas Spillane, who went 2-for-3 with five RBI and two runs.
Meanwhile, in what's become a running theme this season, Foundation Christian Academy gave their fans yet another huge victory on Saturday. They put the hurt on Old Plank Christian Academy with a sharp 15-5 win. The victory was some much needed relief for Foundation Christian Academy as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.
Like Grace Christian, Foundation Christian Academy also got a great game from a two-way player: Caleb Hom. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run over six innings pitched. Hom was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in four of his six plate appearances.
In other batting news, Timmy Fry and Brian Figueroa did most of the damage at the plate: Fry went 3-for-4 with seven RBI, a stolen base, and a double, while Figueroa scored four runs and stole a base while getting on base in all six of his plate appearances. Henry Salter was another key contributor, scoring three runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in five of his six plate appearances.
Grace Christian now has a winning record of 6-5. As for Foundation Christian Academy, their record is now 9-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Grace Christian has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Foundation Christian Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 6. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Grace Christian came up short against Foundation Christian Academy in their previous matchup back in March, falling 14-10. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Hom, who didn't allow a single earned run and only two hits over six innings pitched. Now that Grace Christian knows the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
