The Gulf Coast Sharks will take on the Riverdale Raiders at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Gulf Coast is coming into the match hot, having won their last three games.
Gulf Coast is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They came out on top against Palmetto Ridge by a score of 5-1.
Taylor Stalling was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she tossed seven innings while giving up just one earned run off seven hits. Stalling was also big at the plate, getting on base in two of her three plate appearances with three runs.
Stalling wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Emma Caetano, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run.
Meanwhile, Riverdale posted their closest win since April 30, 2024 on Tuesday. They skirted past Immokalee 7-5. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Raiders.
Like Gulf Coast, Riverdale also got a great game from a two-way player: Adrianna Manetta. She tossed seven innings while giving up three earned (and two unearned) runs off nine hits. Manetta was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with two RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Ella Bundy, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Jamie Marie Penia, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs and one double.
Gulf Coast's victory was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 19-3. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.4 runs over those games. As for Riverdale, their record is now 14-9.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Gulf Coast hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .333. However, it's not like Riverdale struggles in that department as they've averaged .346. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Gulf Coast was able to grind out a solid victory over Riverdale in their previous meeting back in March, winning 8-5. Do the Sharks have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Raiders turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
