The Lakeview Academy Lions will face off against Cristo Rey Atlanta at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Lakeview Academy will be looking to extend their current four-game winning streak.
Lakeview Academy proved they can win big on Saturday (they won by 12) and on Monday they proved they can win the close ones too. They had just enough and edged out Pinecrest Academy 5-4. While the Lions didn't have the best season last year (they finished 8-12), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
Tavarus Dowdy was incredible, going 1-for-3 with one home run and two runs.
Meanwhile, Cristo Rey Atlanta got the win against Stephenson on Thursday by a conclusive 14-7. The result was nothing new for Cristo Rey Atlanta, who have now won three contests by seven runs or more so far this season.
Ethan Minor and Alonso Rodriguez were a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, Minor struck out six batters over three innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits (and only one walk). Meanwhile, Rodriguez struck out seven batters over four innings while giving up three earned (and two unearned) runs off three hits. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in April of 2024. At bat, Minor scored three runs and stole Five bases. while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances, while Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with two triples, three runs, and four RBI. Rodriguez is becoming a predictor of Cristo Rey Atlanta's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 3-1 (and 1-2 when he doesn't).
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Collin Roberts, who scored three runs and stole Two bases. while going 2-for-3. Cristo Rey Atlanta is undefeated when Roberts posts two or more runs, but 0-3 otherwise.
Cristo Rey Atlanta kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Lakeview Academy's victory was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-1. They've dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 13.8 runs. As for Cristo Rey Atlanta, they now have a winning record of 4-3.
Wednesday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Lakeview Academy hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .430. However, it's not like Cristo Rey Atlanta struggles in that department as they've averaged .360. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lakeview Academy beat Cristo Rey Atlanta 9-4 when the teams last played back in March of 2024. Will Lakeview Academy repeat their success, or does Cristo Rey Atlanta have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
