Baseball Game Preview: First Academy Eagles vs. Tavares Bulldogs

Eagles

Runs

04/08/25 @ Tavares	6
04/05/25 vs Trinity Christian Academy	2
04/04/25 vs Bell Creek Academy	6
03/31/25 vs Lake Mary Prep	5
03/28/25 vs Trinity Christian Academy	1
+ 11 more games

First Academy hasn't had much luck against Tavares recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Eagles will be playing in front of their home fans against the Bulldogs at 6:30 p.m. First Academy is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 10.1 runs per game this season.

Last Tuesday, First Academy came up short against Tavares and fell 10-6. The Eagles have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

For Tavares' part, Kyle Dunn made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing 5.2 innings while giving up just one earned (and five unearned) runs off five hits. Dunn has become a key player for Tavares: the team is 3-1 when he allows at most two earned runs, but 3-11 otherwise. Dunn was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 3-for-4. Those three hits gave him a new career-high.

In other batting news, Tavares let Calvin Hinckley and Jamarcus Pugh run wild. Hinckley scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3, while Pugh scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-2. Pugh is becoming a predictor of Tavares' success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 4-1 (and 2-11 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Jeruel Rivera-Torres, who scored a run and stole two bases.

Tavares has been struggling recently as they've lost seven of their last nine matches. That's put a noticeable dent in their 6-13 record this season. As for First Academy, their defeat dropped their record down to 10-6.

Tavares' pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: First Academy hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .382. It's a different story for Tavares, though, as they've only averaged .225. Will they be able to contain First Academy's hitters? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.