The IMG Academy White Ascenders will challenge the Community School of Naples Seahawks at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The last four games IMG Academy White has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
Last Monday, IMG Academy White sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 8-6 win over Bell Creek Academy. That's two games straight that the Ascenders have won by exactly two runs.
Avriel Tostado tossed a big game, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out six over five innings pitched.
Owen Armstead
| 03/10/25 vs Bell Creek Academy | 2 |
| 03/07/25 vs Sunshine State Elite Academy | 2 |
| 02/26/25 vs Inspiration Academy Red | 2 |
| 02/18/25 @ Bradenton Christian | 2 |
| 03/04/25 vs Cambridge Christian | 1 |
On the hitting side, IMG Academy White got a massive performance out of Owen Armstead, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. Armstead is becoming a predictor of IMG Academy White's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 3-1 (and 1-5 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Miles Canning, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
Meanwhile, Community School of Naples hadn't done well against Canterbury recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Thursday. Community School of Naples walked away with a 9-5 victory over Canterbury. While the Seahawks didn't have the best season last year (they finished 11-14), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
Nathan Rapp made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing five innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Nick Renteria, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3. What's more, he posted two RBI, the most he's had since back in April of 2024. Emmett Perez was another key player, scoring a run while going 1-for-2.
IMG Academy White's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 4-6. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of 1.67 runs across that stretch. As for Community School of Naples, with the victory, they broke their three-game losing streak and moved their record to 7-5.
IMG Academy White beat Community School of Naples 6-3 when the teams last played back in March of 2024. Will IMG Academy White repeat their success, or does Community School of Naples have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
