The Gilbert Christian Knights will head out on the road to take on the Pusch Ridge Christian Academy Lions at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Gilbert Christian will be looking to extend their current six-game winning streak.
Last Tuesday, Gilbert Christian faced Florence in a battle between two of the state's top teams. Gilbert Christian blew past Florence 18-1. Gilbert Christian might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team's won eight matchups by ten runs or more this season.
Gilbert Christian let Jeremy Kuiper and Sam Webb loose on the outfield. Kuiper went 2-for-4 with a home run, six RBI, and two runs, while Webb scored three runs and stole two bases while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. Kuiper is on a roll when it comes to home runs, as he's now launched at least one in the last four games he's played. Another player making a difference was Nate Nielsen, who went 1-for-3 with a home run, two runs, and two RBI.
Meanwhile, Pusch Ridge Christian Academy never let their opponents score on Wednesday. They walked away with a 5-0 win over Flowing Wells. The victory made it back-to-back wins for Pusch Ridge Christian Academy.
Troy Massey spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just zero earned runs on three hits.
On the hitting side, Bubba Mustain was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Noah Secrest was another key contributor, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-4.
Gilbert Christian pushed their record up to 13-2 with that victory, which was their fifth straight at home. Those good results were due in large part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 15.6 runs per game. As for Pusch Ridge Christian Academy, they are on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last eight games, which provided a nice bump to their 15-5 record this season.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both teams have some strikeout artists on the roster. Gilbert Christian has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Pusch Ridge Christian Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.8. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Gilbert Christian couldn't quite finish off Pusch Ridge Christian Academy when the teams last played back in April of 2023 and fell 5-3. Can Gilbert Christian avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps