The Academy Wildcats will challenge the University Bulldogs at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday.
The home team had won the previous four meetings between The Academy and Jefferson Academy, and Jefferson Academy kept the tradition alive. The Wildcats lost 9-2 to the Jaguars on Thursday.
The Academy saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Alexander Nicholson, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, one run, and one double. That double marked the first that Nicholson has hit this season.
Meanwhile, University waltzed into their match on Thursday with seven straight wins... but they left with eight. They never let the Broncos get on the board and left with a 5-0 victory.
Platte Valley's batters probably weren't too happy with Gage Viken, who pitched a no hitter and racked up seven Ks (he gave up a single walk). Viken has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in six consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Joel Ramirez was excellent, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. The team also got some help courtesy of Medardo Abrego, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
University's win was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 16-3. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.7 runs over those games. As for The Academy, they have been struggling recently as they've lost six of their last seven games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 6-13 record this season.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Saturday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. The Academy has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.3 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like University struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.3 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
The Academy suffered a grim 12-2 defeat to University in their previous matchup back in April of 2019. Will the Wildcats have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
