The IMG Academy Blue Ascenders will challenge the Avon Park Red Devils at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average, (IMG Academy Blue 3.3, Avon Park 2.3) so any runs scored will be well earned.
IMG Academy Blue's pitching crew heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Tuesday. They came out on top against Inspiration Academy Red by a score of 4-0. While the Ascenders didn't have the best season last year (they finished 8-15-1), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
IMG Academy Blue got a great performance from Carson Flanagan as he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. Flanagan has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Brennan Prendergast and Harry Friedner did most of the damage at the plate: Prendergast scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3, while Friedner scored a run while going 2-for-3. Friedner also put up two doubles, which were his first of the season. Kapono Kaha'i was another key player, scoring a run while going 1-for-2.
The home team had won the previous three meetings between Avon Park and Lake Wales, and Lake Wales kept the tradition alive. Avon Park fell just short of Lake Wales by a score of 3-2 on Thursday.
Avon Park saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Maddox Pollitt, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
IMG Academy Blue has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 5-2 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.8 runs on average over those games. Avon Park's defeat dropped their record down to 8-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. IMG Academy Blue has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Avon Park struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
IMG Academy Blue couldn't quite get it done against Avon Park in their previous meeting back in April of 2021 as they fell 6-1. Can IMG Academy Blue avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
