It can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but Needles had no problem doing just that on Saturday. They were the clear victor by a 15-7 margin over the Lake Mead Academy Eagles. Considering Needles has won 24 matches by more than five runs this season, Saturday's blowout was nothing new.
Collin Smith made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over four innings while giving up just two earned runs off six hits (and only one walk). Smith has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive pitching appearances. Smith was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 3-for-5.
In other batting news, Hudson Smith was excellent, scoring two runs while going 2-for-4. Another player making a difference was Tyler Wilson, who scored three runs and stole a base.
On Lake Mead Academy's side, Hunter Zierleyn and Cameron LaPres stepped up to the plate in a big way. Zierleyn went 2-for-3 with two RBI, while LaPres scored a run while going 2-for-4.
Needles has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won 14 of their last 16 contests, which provided a nice bump to their 28-9 record this season. As for Lake Mead Academy, their loss dropped their record down to 23-5.
As of now, neither Needles nor Lake Mead Academy have any future games scheduled.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
