American Leadership Academy hasn't had much luck against Providence Hall recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Eagles will square off against the Patriots at 3:30 p.m. American Leadership Academy will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each game than the last.
American Leadership Academy came up short against Judge Memorial Catholic on Tuesday, falling 31-21. Despite running the score up even higher than they did in their prior game two weeks ago (11), the Eagles still had to take the loss.
Jackie Huff made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 3-for-5 with four RBI, two runs, and one triple. Daphne Gamble was another key player, going 3-for-4 with three runs, one double, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Providence Hall, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Friday. They put the hurt on Summit Academy with a sharp 20-8 victory on Tuesday. The Patriots might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine contests by seven runs or more this season.
Taycee Metts made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits (and not a single walk). Metts was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.
In other batting news, Alysa Marcek was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with one home run, six RBI, and three runs. Another player making a difference was Mariah Garcia, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs, two stolen bases, and three RBI.
Providence Hall was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .538. They are a perfect 7-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Providence Hall pushed their record up to 10-5 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 16.8 runs over those games. As for American Leadership Academy, their defeat dropped their record down to 5-9.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. American Leadership Academy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .569. However, it's not like Providence Hall struggles in that department as they've averaged .526. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
American Leadership Academy might still be hurting after the 22-0 loss they got from Providence Hall in their previous meeting two weeks ago. Can the Eagles avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
