Mount Dora Christian Academy hasn't had much luck against The First Academy recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Bulldogs will head out to square off against the Royals at 6:00 p.m. Mount Dora Christian Academy is coming into the game hot, having won their last nine games.
On Friday, Mount Dora Christian Academy needed a bit of extra time to put away Foundation Academy. They had just enough and edged out the Lions 7-5. Seven seems to be a good number for the Bulldogs as the team scooped up a win with the same number of runs in their previous game.
Trinty DeVries spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned runs on eight hits.
On the hitting side, Mount Dora Christian Academy let Katie Bayly and Lily Bryant run wild. Bayly scored three runs while going 4-for-5, while Bryant scored a run while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. What's more, Bayly posted two doubles, the most she's had over her last nine contests. The team also got some help courtesy of Shannon Bailey, who got on base in three of her five plate appearances with two RBI.
They weren't the only one making solid contact: Mount Dora Christian Academy kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Foundation Academy only managed eight hits.
Meanwhile, The First Academy made easy work of Lyman on Friday and carried off a 12-2 victory. The result was nothing new for the Royals, who have now won five matches by nine runs or more so far this season.
Isabella Brown made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over seven innings pitched. Brown was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Sulexy Falcon and Nola-Blair Simmons did most of the damage at the plate: Falcon scored three runs while going 3-for-5, while Simmons scored three runs while going 3-for-5. Peyton Watts was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-3.
The First Academy has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven games. That's provided a massive bump to their 8-8 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.6 runs over those games. As for Mount Dora Christian Academy, their victory was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 18-4.
The First Academy's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Mount Dora Christian Academy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .459. It's a different story for The First Academy, though, as they've only averaged .357. Will they be able to contain Mount Dora Christian Academy's hitters?
Mount Dora Christian Academy couldn't quite get it done against The First Academy in their previous matchup back in May of 2024 as they fell 9-4. Can the Bulldogs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
