The McKeel Academy Wildcats will venture away from home to square off against the Berkeley Prep Buccaneers at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. The last five games McKeel Academy has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
On Thursday, McKeel Academy sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 3-1 win over Wiregrass Ranch. The Wildcats haven't had any issues with the Bulls recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive victory against them.
Caleb Clanton spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on four hits and racked up 11 Ks. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Brock Spurgeon, who went 2-for-3 with one home run and three RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in February of 2024. Aedan Tompkins also deserves some recognition as he hit his first triple of the season.
Meanwhile, Berkeley Prep won against Lakeland on Tuesday with 15 runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Thursday. Everything went Berkeley Prep's way against Cambridge Christian as Berkeley Prep made off with a 15-0 win. That 15 run margin sets a new team best for the Buccaneers this season.
Rivers Kurland looked comfortable as he kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out seven over four innings pitched. Furthermore, he didn't allow a single hit, the first time he has blanked an opponent since back in April of 2024.
At the plate, George Cook was excellent, scoring a run while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Jett Walters, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-2.
Berkeley Prep always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .607. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive contests.
McKeel Academy's record now sits at 4-2. As for Berkeley Prep, their record now sits at 5-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. McKeel Academy has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 10.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Berkeley Prep struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9.4 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
McKeel Academy came out on top in a nail-biter against Berkeley Prep when the teams last played back in February of 2024, sneaking past 2-1. The rematch might be a little tougher for McKeel Academy since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
