Pinecrest Academy has won five straight games at home (dating back to last season), while Hearts Academy has won five straight on the road also dating back to last season, but those streaks won't matter much on Tuesday. The Pinecrest Academy Paladins will host the Hearts Academy Panthers at 4:45 p.m. The last three games Pinecrest Academy has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
Pinecrest Academy is probably headed into the matchup with a chip on their shoulder considering Lakeview Academy just ended the team's seven-game winning streak on Monday. They fell just short of the Lions by a score of 5-4. The loss put an end to the Paladins' undefeated start to the season.
Liam McCavitt was cooking despite his team's loss, scoring a run and stealing Two bases. while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Mateo Snyder also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen base of the season.
While Hearts Academy didn't have the best season last year (they finished 7-10), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They walked away with a 9-4 victory over Victory Baptist on Friday.
Gavin Dyson made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 12 batters over seven innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off three hits. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 5.8 strikeouts per game. He was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing Two bases. while going 1-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Jameson Wood, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last four games he's played. Chalie Bill was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
Hearts Academy kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Victory Baptist only managed three hits.
Having lost for the first time this season, Pinecrest Academy fell to 7-1. As for Hearts Academy, their win bumped their record up to 6-1.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Pinecrest Academy has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Hearts Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 12.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
