The Montverde Academy Eagles will take on the Cornerstone Charter Academy Ducks at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Montverde Academy is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. Their pitchers stepped up to hand The First Academy a 13-0 shutout. Winning may never get old, but the Eagles sure are getting used to it with their eighth in a row.
The team relied heavily on Luna Taboas, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. Leila Susaia was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.
Montverde Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .562. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as The First Academy only posted an OBP of .211.
Cornerstone Charter Academy came out on top against Windermere Prep on Tuesday thanks in part to the team's impressive nine-run first inning. The Ducks were the clear victors by a 15-0 margin over the Lakers. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Ducks.
Cornerstone Charter Academy let Jaelyn Phillips and Bailey Copeland run wild. Phillips got on base in all four of her plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI, while Copeland went a perfect 1-for-1 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. That's the most RBI Copeland has posted since back in March of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Olivia Hancock, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with two runs and one RBI.
Cornerstone Charter Academy pushed their record up to 18-8 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.7 runs over those games. As for Montverde Academy, their victory bumped their record up to 24-2.
Montverde Academy's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's contest. The Eagles have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.5 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Cornerstone Charter Academy, though, as they've been averaging only 1.3 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Montverde Academy continue to outrun the ball?
Montverde Academy took their win against Cornerstone Charter Academy in their previous matchup back in February by a conclusive 10-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Eagles since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
