The Hardee Wildcats will be taking part in a tournament against the IMG Academy Gold Ascenders at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Hardee's pitching crew has only allowed 3.4 runs per game this season, so IMG Academy Gold's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
It was a proper cat-fight when Hardee challenged Clewiston on Friday. Hardee fell 5-2 to Clewiston. The Wildcats have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Ryland Beumel was cooking despite his team's loss, going 1-for-2 with one home run and two RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in May of 2024. Another player making a difference was Braden Tyson, who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in two of his four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, IMG Academy Gold waltzed into their match on Friday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They put the hurt on the Panthers with a sharp 7-1 win.
Rondy Bryant spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on four hits and racked up eight Ks. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Cade Hudmon was excellent, scoring a run while going 2-for-3. Dante Caridi also deserves some recognition as he brought in his first RBI of the season.
IMG Academy Gold was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .387. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .324 or higher in five consecutive games.
IMG Academy Gold pushed their record up to 5-3 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.3 runs over those games. As for Hardee, their defeat dropped their record down to 6-5.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Hardee has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like IMG Academy Gold struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Hardee came out on top in a nail-biter against IMG Academy Gold in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, sneaking past 7-6. Does Hardee have another victory up their sleeve, or will IMG Academy Gold turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
