vs
| 03/14/25 - Away | 2-10 L |
| 03/11/25 - Home | 1-9 L |
| 03/14/24 - Away | 16-1 W |
| 03/07/24 - Home | 5-3 W |
| 03/16/23 - Home | 9-8 W |
| 03/09/23 - Away | 1-12 L |
Westwood and Grace Christian Academy are an even 3-3 against one another since March of 2023, but likely not for long. A feisty cat fight will be fought as Westwood Wildcats face off against Grace Christian Academy Cougars at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Having struggled with five defeats in a row dating back to last season, Westwood turned things around against Southland Academy on Monday. They walked away with a 13-10 victory over the Raiders. The high-scoring performance was a welcome turnaround for the Wildcats' hitters, who had struggled in the games prior.
Max Joyner and Karson Barwick did most of the damage at the plate: Joyner scored a run while going 2-for-3, while Barwick scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in two of his five plate appearances. Barwick also put up an RBI, which was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Noah Sherman, who scored a run and stole a base.
Westwood always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .513. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Grace Christian Academy). They put the hurt on Westwood with a sharp 10-2 win on Friday. With that victory, the Cougars brought their scoring average up to 6.6 runs per game.
Aiden Whittaker made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two hits in five consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing Two bases. while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Grace Christian Academy is 3-1 when Whittaker posts two or more stolen bases, but 1-2 otherwise.
In other batting news, Daniel Johnson was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4. The team also got some help courtesy of Noah Smith, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI.
Westwood's first win this season bumped their record up to 1-3. As for Grace Christian Academy, they now have a winning record of 4-3.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Westwood has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Grace Christian Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 10.1 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Westwood might still be hurting after the 10-2 loss they got from Grace Christian Academy when the teams last played on Friday. Will Westwood 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.
