New Creation Christian Academy hasn't had much luck against Scholars Guild Academy recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Crusaders will challenge the Spartans at 2:00 p.m. New Creation Christian Academy has given up an average of 6.6 runs per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
CrossPointe Christian Academy hit New Creation Christian Academy with a four-run first inning on Thursday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Crusaders took an 11-7 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Cavaliers.
Nolan Hyde and Luke Robinson did some serious damage despite the final result: Hyde went 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI, while Robinson went a perfect 3-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Cade Anderson, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Scholars Guild Academy came tearing into Thursday's matchup with eight straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 10.6 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They were the clear victors by a 10-1 margin over the Tribe. Considering the Spartans have won 12 contests by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Henry Rumble and Will Pittman were major factors no matter where they played. On the mound, Rumble struck out eight batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Pittman didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over four innings pitched. Rumble has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances. At the plate, Rumble got on base in three of his five plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base, while Pittman went 1-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Rumble has become a key player for Scholars Guild Academy: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 6-7 otherwise.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Sebastian Kenny, who went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases and one run. Those two stolen bases gave him a new career-high. Ty Newton was another key player, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with two runs.
Scholars Guild Academy's victory was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 17-7. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.0 runs over those games. As for New Creation Christian Academy, their loss dropped their record down to 11-5.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. New Creation Christian Academy has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.6 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Scholars Guild Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
New Creation Christian Academy suffered a grim 8-0 defeat to Scholars Guild Academy in their previous meeting back in March. Can the Crusaders avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
