Sylva Bay Academy hasn't had much luck against Mize recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. The Saints will look to defend their home field against the Bulldogs at 1:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Sylva Bay Academy gave up the first runs last Thursday, but they didn't let that get them down. They were the clear victors by a 12-6 margin over Prentiss Christian.
Lane Miller made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in eight consecutive appearances. He was even better at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Levi West, who scored three runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-5. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in February. Gage Kennedy was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Mize won against Richton on Tuesday with 11 runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Friday. The Bulldogs never let the Rebels get on the board and left with an 11-0 victory. Winning may never get old, but the Bulldogs sure are getting used to it with their fifth in a row.
Like Sylva Bay Academy, Mize also got a great game from a two-way player: Holder Mcalpin. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. Mcalpin was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two RBI.
In other batting news, Trey Myers was incredible, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. Another player making a difference was Parker Himmel, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Mize was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .476. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .387 or higher in five consecutive matchups.
Mize pushed their record up to 16-5 with the win, which was their third straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.0 runs on average over those games. As for Sylva Bay Academy, their win bumped their record up to 10-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Saturday as neither team is afraid to steal. Sylva Bay Academy has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 6.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Mize struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 4.1 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Sylva Bay Academy might still be hurting after the 12-0 loss they got from Mize when the teams last played back in February of 2024. Will the Saints have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
