The Imagine Prep Storm are taking a road trip to take on the Heritage Academy Gateway Heroes at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Imagine Prep has given up an average of 7.2 runs per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Imagine Prep's last matchup with Mission Heights Prep could've gone either way, but unfortunately the same can't be said for the pair's match on Friday. The Storm came up short against the Phantoms, falling 13-3. The loss continues a trend for the Storm in their meetings with the Phantoms: they've now lost three in a row.
Jeremiah Hunt made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and scored two runs and stole four bases while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Heritage Academy Gateway, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Monday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 7-5 victory over East Valley Athletes for Christ on Monday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Heroes have posted since May 3, 2024.
Porter Withers was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing three bases while going 3-for-3. Another player making a difference was Landon Roe, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-2.
Heritage Academy Gateway was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .391. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as East Valley Athletes for Christ only posted a batting average of .143.
Heritage Academy Gateway pushed their record up to 3-4 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.8 runs over those games. As for Imagine Prep, they now have a losing record of 4-5-1.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Imagine Prep has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.6 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Heritage Academy Gateway struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 9 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Imagine Prep couldn't quite finish off Heritage Academy Gateway in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 and fell 8-6. Can the Storm avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
