Baseball Recap: Make It Three in a Row for Mckeel Academy

Wildcats

Margin (Wins)

03/03/26 @ Lake Region	15
03/18/26 vs Lake Wales	11
02/13/26 vs Lake Gibson	11
03/17/26 vs Fort Meade	10
03/24/26 vs IMG Academy Gold	6

McKeel Academy barely beat IMG Academy Gold the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Wildcats put the hurt on the Ascenders with a sharp 11-5 win on Tuesday. Considering the Wildcats have won six games by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.

Jorge Cordova made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over 5.1 innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and two doubles. He is becoming a predictor of McKeel Academy's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 5-1 (and 2-8 when he doesn't).

In other batting news, Brendan Wiggs was a standout: he got on base in all four of his plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Those two stolen bases gave him a new career-high. Wyatt Thomas was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one home run.

McKeel Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .550. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.

The victory was the third in a row for McKeel Academy, bringing their record up to 7-9. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.3 runs on average over those games. As for IMG Academy Gold, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost five of their last six contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 6-6 record this season.

McKeel Academy didn't take long to hit the field again: they've already played their next matchup, a 2-1 loss against Wiregrass Ranch on the 25th. As for IMG Academy Gold, they will venture away from home to take on Bradenton Christian at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.