The Air Academy Kadets will challenge the Pine Creek Eagles at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday.
Friday just wasn't the day for Air Academy's offense. They took a 5-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of Lutheran on Friday. The match marked the first time this season in which the Kadets were not able to get on the board.
Meanwhile, Pine Creek entered their tilt with Fountain-Fort Carson on Thursday with two consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with three. They put the hurt on the Trojans with a sharp 11-1 win. Considering the Eagles have won seven contests by more than seven runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Tristan Mullis was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out seven over four innings pitched. Those seven strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three runs and one triple. That triple was his first of the season.
In other pitching news, Matthew Brady looked comfortable as he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two hits any time he's pitched this season.
Back at the plate, Aiden Wilson was a standout: he went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and one run. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Brayden Moreno, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and two doubles.
Pine Creek kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Pine Creek pushed their record up to 11-3 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.8 runs on average over those games. As for Air Academy, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost five of their last six games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 10-5-1 record this season.
Air Academy suffered a grim 13-0 defeat to Pine Creek when the teams last played back in March of 2024. Can the Kadets avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
