vs
| 03/07/25 - Home | 6-5 W |
| 04/16/24 - Home | 7-3 W |
| 03/19/24 - Away | 14-10 W |
| 02/27/24 - Home | 4-6 L |
| 03/30/23 - Away | 12-0 W |
| + 5 more games |
Foundation Christian Academy is 9-1 against Grace Christian since March of 2020 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Panthers will head out to challenge the Patriots at 4:00 p.m. Foundation Christian Academy is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.9 runs per game this season.
Foundation Christian Academy took a loss when they played away from home on Saturday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Ruskin Christian a 10-0 shutout. The high-scoring effort was just what the Panthers needed considering they were shut out in their previous match.
Foundation Christian Academy got a massive performance out of Luke Michie, who scored two runs and stole three bases while going 3-for-4. That's the most stolen bases Michie has posted since back in March. Ryan Ortiz was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing five bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Grace Christian was not able to break out of their rough patch on Tuesday as the team picked up their third straight defeat. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost a 3-2 heartbreaker at the hands of Indian Rocks Christian.
Ian Johns put in work while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he pitched five innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off five hits. What's more, he gave up only one walk, the fewest he's had since back in February. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, Kyler Rickenbach was cooking despite his team's loss, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in two of his four plate appearances. Grace Christian is 3-1 when Rickenbach posts two or more runs, but 4-5 otherwise.
Foundation Christian Academy pushed their record up to 13-3-1 with the victory, which was their 13th straight at home dating back to last season. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.6 runs on average over those games. As for Grace Christian, their loss dropped their record down to 7-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Foundation Christian Academy has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 7.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Grace Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 4.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Foundation Christian Academy came out on top in a nail-biter against Grace Christian in their previous matchup back in March, sneaking past 6-5. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
