Bradenton Christian and IMG Academy Navy are an even 4-4 against one another since March of 2021, but likely not for long. The Bradenton Christian Panthers will challenge the IMG Academy Navy Ascenders at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. Bradenton Christian is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.5 runs per game this season.
The home team had won the previous four meetings between Bradenton Christian and Bayshore, and Bradenton Christian kept the tradition alive. Bradenton Christian came out on top against Bayshore by a score of 4-1 on Thursday.
Garrett Duquette
| 02/27/25 vs Bayshore | 12 |
| 02/18/25 vs IMG Academy White | 7 |
| 03/11/24 vs Loudon | 7 |
| 02/26/24 @ Southeast | 7 |
| 02/22/24 @ Sarasota Christian | 7 |
Garrett Duquette spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on five hits and racked up 12 Ks. Those 12 strikeouts gave him a new career-high.
At the plate, Bradenton Christian saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Waylon Moore, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-2. Noah Horne also deserves some recognition as he brought in his first RBI of the season.
Meanwhile, IMG Academy Navy put another one in the bag on Saturday to keep their perfect season alive. They were the clear victor by a 10-0 margin over Lakewood. The Ascenders might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four games by seven runs or more this season.
Jeffrey Nepa made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only a hit over four innings pitched. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two hits in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one triple and two RBI.
In other batting news, Omari Swinton was incredible, scoring four runs and stealing three bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now stole at least one in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Joonho Song, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
IMG Academy Navy was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .417. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Lakewood only posted a batting average of .133.
IMG Academy Navy's win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 6-0. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.7 runs on average over those games. As for Bradenton Christian, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 3-3 record this season.
Monday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Bradenton Christian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .436. However, it's not like IMG Academy Navy struggles in that department as they've averaged .503. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Bradenton Christian came up short against IMG Academy Navy when the teams last played back in April of 2024, falling 13-9. Can Bradenton Christian avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
