Sandy Valley hasn't had much luck against Liberty Baptist Academy recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Sidewinders will look to defend their home field against the Knights at 1:00 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Sandy Valley took a nine-run loss the last time they faced off against Beatty, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Sidewinders had just enough and edged out the Hornets 5-3. The win was some much needed relief for the Sidewinders as it spelled an end to their four-game losing streak.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Liberty Baptist Academy). They blew past Spring Mountain 23-6 on Friday. The victory was nothing new for the Knights as they're now sitting on six straight.
Angelo Tatonetti and Bryce Miano made a splash while hitting and pitching. Throwing, Tatonetti pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Miano pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. What's more, he posted two strikeouts, the most he's had since back in May of 2024. At the plate, Tatonetti went 1-for-4 with two RBI and one run, while Miano got on base in three of his five plate appearances with three runs.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Jadon Noriega, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. He also put up a double, which was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Dominic Giannini, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run.
Liberty Baptist Academy kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in five consecutive games.
Sandy Valley now has a winning record of 6-5. As for Liberty Baptist Academy, their win bumped their record up to 11-4.
Sandy Valley might still be hurting after the 16-1 defeat they got from Liberty Baptist Academy in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can the Sidewinders avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
