Gilbert Classical Academy hasn't had much luck against Horizon Honors recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. After both having extra time off, the two teams will dust off their jerseys to challenge one another at 3:45 p.m. After the two teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky on Tuesday.
Gilbert Classical Academy's pitching crew heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed last Thursday. They were the clear victor by a 6-0 margin over Highland Prep West.
Not much got past Lennon Mikan, who gave up just three hits to keep Highland Prep West off the board.
At the plate, Gilbert Classical Academy got a big performance out of Ryan Roco, who went 1-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. What's more, Roco posted two RBI, the most he's had since back in March of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Beckett Elliott, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one double.
Gilbert Classical Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .529. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Highland Prep West only posted an OBP of .320.
Meanwhile, Horizon Honors put another one in the bag last Wednesday to keep their undefeated season alive. They blew past Scottsdale Preparatory Academy 6-0. Six seems to be a good number for the Eagles as the squad scooped up a win with the same number of runs in their previous game.
Zach Hull made a splash no matter where he played. He didn't allow a single earned run while striking out 12 over six innings pitched. Hull was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games he's played.
Hull wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Richard Fretwell, who scored a run and stole a base while going 3-for-4.
Gilbert Classical Academy now has a winning record of 2-1-1. As for Horizon Honors, their victory bumped their record up to 4-0-1.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Gilbert Classical Academy has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.2 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Horizon Honors struggles in that department as they've been averaging 6.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Gilbert Classical Academy suffered a grim 13-3 defeat to Horizon Honors when the teams last played back in February of 2024. Will Gilbert Classical Academy have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
