The Coral Reef Barracudas will challenge the Hialeah Gardens Gladiators at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Coral Reef took a loss when they played away from home on Thursday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Monday. They won by a run and slipped past iMater Charter 4-3. The Barracudas haven't had any issues with the Knights recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Ethan Perez-Rivera tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run over five innings pitched. He has been consistent : he hasn't given up more than one earned run in seven consecutive appearances.
Dylan Quinzada
| 03/25/25 vs Williamsburg | 3 |
| 02/25/25 @ Hialeah | 3 |
| 04/07/25 vs iMater Charter | 2 |
| 03/06/25 vs Schoolhouse Prep | 2 |
| 03/24/25 vs Washington Latin Public Charter School | 1 |
| + 6 more games |
On the hitting side, Coral Reef let Willy Vega and Dylan Quinzada run wild. Vega got on base in three of his four plate appearances with one double and one RBI, while Quinzada scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Quinzada has become a key player for Coral Reef: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 3-15 otherwise. Moises Gallardo also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen base of the season.
Meanwhile, Hialeah Gardens entered their tilt with American on Thursday with seven consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with eight. They walked away with a 7-4 victory over the Patriots.
Hialeah Gardens also got a great performance from Anthony Padilla as he tossed five innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off four hits. What's more, Padilla posted four strikeouts, the most he's had since back in February.
At the plate, Andrew Gonzalez and Jerry Sosa did most of the damage at the plate: Gonzalez scored three runs and stole a base while going 1-for-3, while Sosa went 2-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI. That's the most runs Gonzalez has posted since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Nicholas Ceballos, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Hialeah Gardens' win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 12-8. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.0 runs over those games. As for Coral Reef, their win bumped their record up to 7-15.
Tuesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Coral Reef has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .446. However, it's not like Hialeah Gardens struggles in that department as they've averaged .477. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Coral Reef came up short against Hialeah Gardens in their previous matchup back in March of 2024, falling 10-5. Will the Barracudas have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
