The IMG Academy Black Ascenders are taking a road trip to face off against the Lakeland Christian Vikings at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are coming into the contest red-hot, with IMG Academy Black sitting on 17 straight wins dating back to last season and Lakeland Christian on five.
IMG Academy Black proved they can win big on Friday (they won by eight) and on Tuesday they proved they can win the close ones too. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past Northside Christian 4-2. The four-run effort marked the Ascenders' lowest-scoring match of the season, but in the end it didn't matter.
Daiki Mochizuki looked comfortable as he tossed two innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one walk any time he's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, Frankie Thomas was excellent, going 1-for-3 with three RBI and one triple. That triple was his first of the season.
Meanwhile, Lakeland Christian had just enough and edged out Mulberry 3-2 on Thursday.
Carson Martin spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned runs on seven hits and racked up nine Ks. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in February.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Gavin Byrd, who went 1-for-2 with one home run and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Bryndon Barton, who went 1-for-2 with one home run.
IMG Academy Black pushed their record up to 10-0 with the win, which was their tenth straight at home dating back to last season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.6 runs on average over those games. As for Lakeland Christian, their record is now 9-3.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. IMG Academy Black has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .492. However, it's not like Lakeland Christian struggles in that department as they've averaged .450. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
