Franklin Road Academy is 2-7 against Grace Christian Academy since April of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Panthers will head out to square off against the Lions at 5:00 p.m. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Franklin Road Academy has three straight wins, Grace Christian Academy has four straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
It was a proper cat-fight when Franklin Road Academy challenged Battle Ground Academy on Thursday. The Panthers put the hurt on the Wildcats with a sharp 9-1 victory. The Panthers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight games by six runs or more this season.
Millie Pardue made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out 11 over seven innings pitched. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in seven consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Ren Spencer
| 04/17/25 vs Battle Ground Academy | 3 |
| 04/17/24 vs St. Cecilia Academy | 2 |
| 03/22/24 @ St. Cecilia Academy | 2 |
| 04/09/25 vs Middle Tennessee Christian | 1 |
| 03/24/25 @ Father Ryan | 1 |
In other batting news, Ren Spencer was incredible, going 3-for-5 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Those three RBI gave her a new career-high. Ella Gadsey was another key player, going 3-for-4 with two runs.
Franklin Road Academy was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .387. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Battle Ground Academy only posted a batting average of .125.
Zion Christian Academy hit Grace Christian Academy with a six-run fifth inning on Thursday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Lions lost 7-1 to the Eagles.
Grace Christian Academy saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was MacLayne Barton, who went 2-for-3 with one RBI.
Franklin Road Academy's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 10-4. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.3 runs over those games. As for Grace Christian Academy, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-14.
Franklin Road Academy's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's matchup. The Panthers have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.7 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Grace Christian Academy, though, as they've been averaging only 0.9 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Franklin Road Academy continue to outrun the ball?
Franklin Road Academy took their win against Grace Christian Academy in their previous matchup last Friday by a conclusive 10-2 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
