The Master's Academy Eagles will challenge the Lake Highland Prep Highlanders at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Master's Academy is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.4 runs per game this season.
Master's Academy's pitching crew heads into the match hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Thursday. They were the clear victor by a 9-0 margin over Lake Howell. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Eagles.
Julian Mercado
| 02/27/25 vs Lake Howell | 7 |
| 02/21/25 @ Foundation Academy | 2 |
| 02/18/25 vs Harmony | 0 |
| 02/11/25 @ Bishop Moore | 4 |
| 05/08/24 @ Santa Fe Catholic | 2 |
| + 3 more games |
Julian Mercado made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only a hit while striking out seven over five innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in April of 2024. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Aiden Santos, who scored a run while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, Lake Highland Prep posted their closest victory since April 4, 2024 on Thursday. They had just enough and edged out Father Lopez 8-7.
Like Master's Academy, Lake Highland Prep also got a great game from a two-way player: Oliver Dugan. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching 1.1 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Dugan has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up a single hits in three consecutive appearances. He was even better at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 4-for-4.
In other batting news, Alex Khalil was excellent, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Colin Jones, who scored a run and stole two bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Master's Academy now has a winning record of 4-3. As for Lake Highland Prep, their win bumped their record up to 4-1.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Master's Academy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .437. However, it's not like Lake Highland Prep struggles in that department as they've averaged .536. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Master's Academy's way against Lake Highland Prep in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, as Master's Academy made off with a 10-3 victory. Does Master's Academy have another victory up their sleeve, or will Lake Highland Prep turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
