Granville Christian Academy will head out to challenge the Shekinah Christian Flames at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Tuesday, Granville Christian Academy made easy work of Madison Christian and carried off a 9-3 victory. Granville Christian Academy hasn't had any issues with Madison Christian recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive win against them.
Bentley Johnson was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Johnson was even better at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs. That's the most hits he has posted since back in May of 2024.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Josiah Green, who went 1-for-2 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Jacob Fabbro, who went 1-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Shekinah Christian, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Saturday. They were the clear victors by a 15-4 margin over Centennial on Monday.
Like Granville Christian Academy, Shekinah Christian also got a great game from a two-way player: Aiden Nofziger. On the mound, he pitched four innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off two hits. Nofziger has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two hits in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with three runs and one double. Shekinah Christian is undefeated when Nofziger posts two or more runs, but 0-3 otherwise.
In other batting news, Shekinah Christian let Max Kilzer and Jayce Yoder run wild. Kilzer went 2-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, and one triple, while Yoder went a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI, one run, and one double. Kilzer has become a key player for Shekinah Christian: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 1-3 otherwise. Brayden DiCarro was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Shekinah Christian was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .391. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Centennial only posted a batting average of .133.
Granville Christian Academy pushed their record up to 9-1 with the victory, which was their fourth straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.3 runs over those games. As for Shekinah Christian, their record now sits at 5-3.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Granville Christian Academy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .475. However, it's not like Shekinah Christian struggles in that department as they've averaged .560. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Granville Christian Academy came out on top in a nail-biter against Shekinah Christian in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, sneaking past 6-5. The rematch might be a little tougher for Granville Christian Academy since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
