Baseball Game Preview: Vanguard Knights vs. Eustis Panthers

For the second straight game, Vanguard will face off against Eustis. The Knights will head out on the road to square off against the Panthers at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday. Vanguard's pitching crew has only allowed 3.7 runs per game this season, so Eustis' hitters will have their work cut out for them.

Vanguard is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Saturday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Eustis, sneaking past 5-4.

Spencer Payne spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered four earned runs on five hits and racked up seven Ks. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.

Fabian Ochoa

Runs Batted In (Career)

05/02/26 @ Eustis	3
04/24/26 vs Hardee	2
02/13/26 @ Interlachen	2
05/01/26 @ Eustis	1
04/14/26 vs Lake Weir	1

On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Fabian Ochoa, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI and one double. Those three RBI gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was JJ Thomas, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one run.

Vanguard has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 19-8 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.2 runs on average over those games. As for Eustis, their defeat ended a four-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 16-13.