The First Academy Royals will venture away from home to square off against the Geneva Knights at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The teams are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: The First Academy has struggled recently with three losses in a row, while Geneva will arrive with three straight wins.
On Monday, The First Academy came up short against Mount Dora Christian Academy and fell 6-2.
Meanwhile, Geneva got the win against Winter Park on Thursday by a conclusive 16-5. Considering the Knights have won 11 games by more than nine runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Bella Ortiz made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out nine batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and three unearned) runs off three hits. With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 5.1 strikeouts per game. She was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Ella Ingram was a standout: she went 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBI. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March of 2024. Chloe Incinelli was another key player, going 1-for-4 with four runs and one stolen base.
Geneva was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .432. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .432 or higher in three consecutive matchups.
Geneva pushed their record up to 14-3 with the victory, which was their seventh straight on the road. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.4 runs on average over those games. As for The First Academy, their defeat dropped their record down to 9-11.
The First Academy's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's contest. The Royals have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.3 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Geneva, though, as they've been averaging only 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will The First Academy continue to outrun the ball?
The First Academy came up short against Geneva in their previous meeting two weeks ago, falling 10-5. Can the Royals avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
