University Christian is preparing for their first district matchup of the season on Monday. They will look to defend their home field against the Christ's Church Academy Eagles at 6:30 p.m. University Christian's pitching crew has only allowed 2.8 runs per game this season, so Christ's Church Academy's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
University Christian's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They were the clear victors by a 12-0 margin over Florida Christian. The result was nothing new for the Christians, who have now won seven games by six runs or more so far this season.
Lukas Brougham looked comfortable as he kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits over four innings pitched. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-low in hits (zero).
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Bryson Harnage, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with one home run, two runs, and one double. Another player making a difference was Mason McLeod, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
University Christian always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .636. The last time their OBP was this high was back in February of 2024.
Meanwhile, Christ's Church Academy came tearing into Thursday's contest with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 3 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 6-5 W against the Flashes. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Eagles have posted against the Flashes since April 11, 2019.
Preston Dahlheimer looked comfortable as he pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent : he hasn't given up more than two hits in seven consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Shawn Robinson was excellent, scoring two runs while going 3-for-4. Christ's Church Academy is undefeated when Robinson posts two or more runs, but 6-7 otherwise. Brady Watson was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
University Christian has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 13-6 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.4 runs on average over those games. Christ's Church Academy's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 11-7.
Monday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. University Christian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .441. However, it's not like Christ's Church Academy struggles in that department as they've averaged .445. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
University Christian skirted past Christ's Church Academy 2-1 when the teams last played back in February of 2024. Will University Christian repeat their success, or does Christ's Church Academy has a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
