The Freeport Bulldogs will challenge the North Bay Haven Academy Buccaneers at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. Freeport's pitching crew has only allowed 3.1 runs per game this season, so North Bay Haven Academy's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
North Bay Haven Academy will be up against a hot Freeport squad: the team just extended their winning streak to three. Freeport never let Destin get on the board and left with a 3-0 win on Friday. While the Bulldogs didn't have the best season last year (they finished 7-15), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
Caleb Hoogewerf
| 03/07/25 vs Destin | 7 |
| 02/20/25 vs Fort Walton Beach | 5 |
| 02/13/25 vs Lighthouse Private Christian Academy | 5 |
| 02/25/25 @ Lighthouse Private Christian Academy | 4 |
Not much got past Caleb Hoogewerf, who gave up just two hits and racked up seven Ks to keep Destin off the board. Those seven strikeouts gave Hoogewerf a new career-high.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask North Bay Haven Academy). They were the clear victor by a 25-0 margin over Crossroad Academy on Friday. With that victory, the Buccaneers brought their scoring average up to 7.2 runs per game.
Hayden Farrow and Waylon King made a big impact no matter where they played. On the mound, Farrow tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, King tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Farrow has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two hits in three consecutive appearances. At the plate, Farrow scored two runs while going 2-for-2, while King scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-3.
In other batting news, North Bay Haven Academy let Tyler Simmons and Jack Peaden run wild. Simmons scored four runs and stole a base while going 4-for-5, while Peaden went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI. North Bay Haven Academy is 3-1 when Simmons posts two or more runs, but 1-3 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Cade Niebuhr, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances.
North Bay Haven Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .825. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Freeport's win was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-4. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.1 runs over those games. As for North Bay Haven Academy, they moved to 4-4 with that victory, which also ended their three-game losing streak.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Monday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Freeport has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.2 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like North Bay Haven Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.2 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Freeport beat North Bay Haven Academy 6-1 in their previous meeting back in March of 2024. Does Freeport have another victory up their sleeve, or will North Bay Haven Academy turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
