The Francis Parker Lancers will head out to challenge the Classical Academy Caimans at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
On Wednesday, Francis Parker made easy work of St. Joseph Academy and carried off a 20-7 win. Considering the Lancers have won 12 contests by more than five runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Payton Zborowski was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs, three RBI, and one triple. The team also got some help courtesy of Ella Kahraman, who went 2-for-3 with three runs.
Francis Parker hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their strikeout total in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Classical Academy got the win against Guajome Park Academy on Wednesday by a conclusive 28-1. That looming 28-1 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Caimans yet this season.
Layla McKee made a splash while hitting and pitching. She struck out nine batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits (and only one walk). Those nine strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with one home run, six RBI, and three runs.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Isabel Johnson, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with four runs, two stolen bases, and five RBI. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Sophie Subka, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs, three RBI, and two doubles.
Classical Academy has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five matchups. That's provided a massive bump to their 12-14 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.8 runs over those games. As for Francis Parker, their record now sits at 15-4.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Francis Parker hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .410. However, it's not like Classical Academy struggles in that department as they've averaged .350. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Francis Parker beat Classical Academy 14-11 in their previous meeting back in April. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Lancers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
