The Northview Chiefs are taking a road trip to take on the Jay Royals at 6:30 p.m. on Monday. Both teams are coming into the game red-hot, with Northview sitting on 11 straight victories and Jay on three.
Northview's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. Everything went their way against Pensacola Christian Academy as they made off with a 15-0 win. The Chiefs might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight contests by ten runs or more this season.
Meanwhile, Jay got the win against West Florida Baptist Academy on Friday by a conclusive 9-3. The Royals are also no stranger to big wins: their blowout was the sixth game they've won by 6+ runs this season.
Nick Baxley made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he tossed 5.2 innings while giving up three earned runs off five hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
In other batting news, Jay got a massive performance out of Cam Pierce, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run. Another player making a difference was Jax Lowery, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Jay kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in three consecutive matchups.
Northview's record now sits at 14-5. As for Jay, their record is now 10-3.
Monday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Northview has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .444. However, it's not like Jay struggles in that department as they've averaged .457. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Northview skirted past Jay 5-4 when the teams last played on March 6th. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Chiefs since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.