Baseball Game Preview: Hartfield Academy Hawks vs. Jackson Prep Patriots

For the second straight game, Hartfield Academy will face off against Jackson Prep. The Hawks will challenge the Patriots at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Hartfield Academy is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last 11 games.

Hartfield Academy is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Mississippi's top teams: Jackson Prep, who was ranked 12th at the time (Hartfield Academy was ranked first). The Hawks sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 8-6 win over the Patriots on Tuesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Hawks have posted since March 3rd.

For Jackson Prep's part, Matthew McKinley put in work no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over five innings while giving up three earned (and three unearned) runs off four hits. McKinley has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.

In other pitching news, Jackson Prep got a good showing from Bodie Akins, who tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Akins has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two hits in ten consecutive appearances.

Back at the plate, Parker Puckett made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and scored two runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-3. Tre' Bryant was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.

Hartfield Academy pushed their record up to 20-2 with the win, which was their seventh straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.4 runs over those games. As for Jackson Prep, the loss snapped their winning streak at three games and leaves them with a 16-8-1 record.

The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Hartfield Academy has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.4 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Jackson Prep struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8.5 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.