Annapolis hasn't had much luck against Garden City recently, but that could start to change on Wednesday. Annapolis will take on Garden City at 3:45 p.m. Garden City took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on Annapolis, who comes in off a win.
On Tuesday, Annapolis got the win against Henry Ford Academy by a conclusive 18-3. Considering the Cougars have won 11 games by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Robert Armstrong made a splash no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out eight batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two hits in six consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two triples, two RBI, and one run. Those two triples gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, Xavier Raspberry was a standout: he went a perfect 2-for-2 with five stolen bases, three RBI, and one run. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 1.1 stolen bases per game. James Harris was another key player, getting on base in two of his four plate appearances with five stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI.
Annapolis always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .686. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Henry Ford Academy only posted an OBP of .389.
Meanwhile, Tuesday just wasn't the day for Garden City's offense. They came up short against Chelsea on Tuesday, falling 6-0. The Cougars' defeat signaled the end of their eight-game winning streak.
Annapolis has been performing well recently as they've won nine of their last 12 contests. That's provided a massive bump to their 12-10 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 4.1 runs on average over those games. As for Garden City, their loss dropped their record down to 24-7.
Wednesday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Annapolis has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .435. However, it's not like Garden City struggles in that department as they've averaged .444. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Annapolis suffered a grim 18-1 defeat to Garden City in their previous meeting last Monday. Can Annapolis avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
