Hickory Grove Christian hasn't had much luck against Grace Christian recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Lions will face off against the Crusaders at 5:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Hickory Grove Christian lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Calvary Day School, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Saturday's game. The Lions' pitchers stepped up to hand the Cougars a 7-0 shutout on Saturday. The victory was familiar territory for the Lions, who have now won three contests in a row.
Brady Johnson looked comfortable as he tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit.
On the hitting side, Von Pelow and Zach White did most of the damage at the plate: Pelow went 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI, while White went a perfect 3-for-3 with three doubles, one run, and one RBI. That's the most hits White has posted since back in March of 2024. Zach Frost was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one run and one RBI.
Hickory Grove Christian kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, it can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but Grace Christian had no problem doing just that on Saturday. They blew past the Lions 10-0. The win was nothing new for the Crusaders as they're now sitting on five straight.
Caleb Ellis made a splash while hitting and pitching. He didn't allow a single earned run while striking out seven over five innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Jimmy Alfonsin, who went 2-for-3 with one home run. Another player making a difference was Reggie Marshall, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Hickory Grove Christian pushed their record up to 12-12 with the victory, which was their sixth straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.2 runs over those games. As for Grace Christian, their record now sits at 20-7.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Hickory Grove Christian has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.1 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Grace Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging 10.5 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Hickory Grove Christian couldn't quite finish off Grace Christian in their previous matchup back in May of 2024 and fell 7-5. Can the Lions avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
