The First Assembly Christian Crusaders will head out on the road to face off against the White Station Spartans at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
On Tuesday, First Assembly Christian got the win against Harding Academy by a conclusive 12-2. The win continues a trend for the Crusaders in their matchups with the Lions: they've now won nine in a row.
Ryker Minor was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits over five innings pitched. What's more, he posted five strikeouts, the most he's had since back in April of 2024. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in all three of his plate appearances with one triple, one stolen base, and two RBI.
In other batting news, First Assembly Christian got a massive performance out of Henry Jones, who scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. Jones continues to improve, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Christian Forrest, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-2.
First Assembly Christian was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .450. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, White Station entered their tilt with Tipton Christian Academy on Tuesday with five consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with six. Their pitchers stepped up to hand the Eagles a 13-0 shutout. The Spartans might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine contests by ten runs or more this season.
Like First Assembly Christian, White Station also got a great game from a two-way player: Benjamin Mendez. On the mound, he kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out ten over four innings pitched. Mendez has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs. He also hit a triple, marking his first of the season.
In other batting news, White Station let Julian Haddad and Demarcus Covington run wild. Haddad scored a run and stole a base while going 3-for-4, while Covington scored three runs and stole three bases. Townsend Buring was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
First Assembly Christian's record now sits at 9-14-1. As for White Station, their record is now 16-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. First Assembly Christian has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like White Station struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 4.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Everything went First Assembly Christian's way against White Station in their previous meeting back in April of 2023, as First Assembly Christian made off with a 12-2 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Crusaders since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
