The Berkeley Prep Buccaneers will face off against the McKeel Academy Wildcats at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a three-game winning streak alive.
If Berkeley Prep beats McKeel Academy with 15 runs on Friday, it's going to be the squad's new lucky number: they've won their past two contests with that exact score. Berkeley Prep never let Cambridge Christian get on the board and left with a 15-0 victory on Thursday. With that win, the Buccaneers brought their scoring average up to 6.9 runs per game.
Rivers Kurland looked comfortable as he kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out seven over four innings pitched. Furthermore, he didn't allow a single hit, the first time he has blanked an opponent since back in April of 2024.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on George Cook, who scored a run while going 2-for-3. He also put up a double, which was his first of the season. Jett Walters was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
Berkeley Prep kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Cambridge Christian only managed one hit.
Meanwhile, McKeel Academy had just enough and edged out Wiregrass Ranch 3-1 on Thursday. That's two games straight that the Wildcats have won by exactly two runs.
Caleb Clanton spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on four hits and racked up 11 Ks. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in February of 2024.
At the plate, Brock Spurgeon was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one home run and three RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in February of 2024. Another player making a difference was Aedan Tompkins, who went 1-for-3 with one triple and one run.
Berkeley Prep's victory bumped their record up to 5-2. As for McKeel Academy, their win bumped their record up to 4-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Berkeley Prep has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.4 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like McKeel Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 10.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.