Nazarene Christian Academy is 9-0-1 against Newman International Academy since April of 2018 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Tuesday. The Lions will welcome the Warriors at 4:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Fans were treated to a battle of the Lions on Thursday. Nazarene Christian Academy blew past Weatherford Christian 9-2. Winning may never get old, but Nazarene Christian Academy sure is getting used to it with their seventh in a row.
Gracyn Whitsell
| 04/10/25 @ Weatherford Christian | 2 |
| 04/07/25 @ Trinity Valley | 1 |
| 03/25/25 vs Weatherford Christian | 1 |
| 03/11/25 vs Fellowship Academy | 1 |
| 02/27/25 @ Fort Worth Christian | 1 |
Gracyn Whitsell made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out 15 batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than nine strikeouts in six consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two triples and five RBI. Those two triples gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Gracyn Grass, who scored a run while going 2-for-2. Madison Glendenning was another key player, scoring two runs while going 1-for-3.
Nazarene Christian Academy kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in eight consecutive games.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Newman International Academy). They were the clear victors by a 17-1 margin over Newman International Academy on Monday. The victory continues a trend for Newman International Academy in their matchups with Newman International Academy: they've now won three in a row.
Like Nazarene Christian Academy, Newman International Academy also got a great game from a two-way player: Maddie Brooks. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over three innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit (and only one walk). Brooks was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with four RBI, two runs, and one triple. She also put up a double, which was her first of the season.
In other batting news, Newman International Academy got a massive performance out of Karoline Parada, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple. Parada also hit a double, marking her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Morgan Brooks, who scored two runs and stole four bases while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances.
Nazarene Christian Academy pushed their record up to 10-3 with the win, which was their fourth straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.5 runs on average over those games. As for Newman International Academy, their win bumped their record up to 4-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Nazarene Christian Academy has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 11.5 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Newman International Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Nazarene Christian Academy took their victory against Newman International Academy in their previous matchup back in April of 2022 by a conclusive 13-2 score. Will the Lions repeat their success, or do the Warriors have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
