Lake Minneola is 0-6 against Montverde Academy since February of 2017 but things could change on Wednesday. The Hawks will challenge the Eagles at 7:00 p.m. Lake Minneola's pitching crew has only allowed 3.7 runs per game this season, so Montverde Academy's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
If Lake Minneola beats Montverde Academy with five runs on Wednesday, it's going to be the squad's new lucky number: they've won their past two matchups with that exact score. The Hawks walked away with a 5-2 victory over Osceola on Tuesday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Hawks.
Brayden Richter looked comfortable as he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two hits in 11 consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Fabian Antosanti, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, it was a Battle of the Birds when Montverde Academy duked it out with East River on Monday. The Eagles blew past the Falcons 14-3. Considering the Eagles' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Danati Fronduto made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off four hits. Fronduto was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. That's the most runs he has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Jovansky Velez and Arnaldo Gonzalez did most of the damage at the plate: Velez went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one double, while Gonzalez went 1-for-4 with four RBI and one double. Those four RBI gave Gonzalez a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Pablo Borbely, who scored two runs while going 1-for-3.
Montverde Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .514. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as East River only posted an OBP of .286.
Lake Minneola's win was their sixth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 16-6. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.3 runs over those games. As for Montverde Academy, with the win, they broke their three-game losing streak and moved their record to 15-7.
Wednesday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Lake Minneola hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .319. However, it's not like Montverde Academy struggles in that department as they've averaged .322. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lake Minneola might still be hurting after the 13-5 loss they got from Montverde Academy in their previous matchup back in March. Can the Hawks avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
