The Cedar Creek Christian Saints will face off against the Harvest Community Warriors at 6:30 p.m. on Monday. The two teams have had a bumpy ride up to this point with six consecutive losses for Cedar Creek Christian and three for Harvest Community.
The home team had won the previous three meetings between Cedar Creek Christian and First Coast Christian, and Cedar Creek Christian kept the tradition alive. Cedar Creek Christian came up short against First Coast Christian on Thursday, falling 11-4.
Ricky Hamilton put in work no matter where he played. He struck out seven batters over 2.2 innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off three hits (and only one walk). That's the fewest hits he has allowed since back in April of 2024. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing two bases while getting on base in two of his three plate appearances.
Hamilton wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Gabriel Hutton, who went 1-for-2 with one double and one RBI. Another was Breon Sibley, who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Harvest Community didn't have quite enough to beat Parsons Christian Academy on Friday and fell 17-16. Even though they lost, the Warriors' still made a splash at the plate and bumped their average scoring up to 6.7 runs per game (they're now ranked -1th in scoring overall).
Like Cedar Creek Christian, Harvest Community also got a great game from a two-way player: Khason Krey. On the mound, he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Krey has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two hits in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 1-for-2. He also put up a double, which was his first of the season.
In other batting news, Jonathan Drost was cooking despite his team's loss, scoring four runs and stealing a base while going 4-for-5. Ethan Wood was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while getting on base in four of his six plate appearances.
Even though they lost, Harvest Community always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .537. This was only their first loss (out of three games) when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Harvest Community's loss dropped their record down to 2-5. As for Cedar Creek Christian, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-7.
Monday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Cedar Creek Christian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .522. However, it's not like Harvest Community struggles in that department as they've averaged .493. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Cedar Creek Christian came up short against Harvest Community when the teams last played last Tuesday, falling 12-9. Will Cedar Creek Christian have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
