Softball Preview: Florida Christian Patriots vs. Palmer Trinity Falcons
Florida Christian has enjoyed the comforts of home their last five games, but now they'll head out on the road. They will face off against the Palmer Trinity Falcons at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Last Tuesday, Florida Christian beat Somerset Academy (Silver Palms) 7-2.
Serena Gillen was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and only one hit while striking out eight over seven innings pitched. Gillen has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 11 consecutive pitching appearances. Gillen was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with a home run.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Samantha Zelenka, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
Meanwhile, in what's become a running theme this season, Palmer Trinity gave their fans yet another huge victory on Thursday. They came out on top against Lourdes Academy by a score of 14-3 (the very same score they lost by in their prior game). With that win, Palmer Trinity brought their scoring average up to 6.3 runs per game.
Like Florida Christian, Palmer Trinity also got a great game from a two-way player: Emily "Emmy" Cerda. She struck out 12 batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off three hits (and not a single walk). Cerda was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring five runs while going 4-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Mela Fajardo, who got on base in all five of her plate appearances with a home run, five RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Gina Marie Pineda, who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.
Florida Christian pushed their record up to 14-8 with that victory, which was their fourth straight at home. As for Palmer Trinity, their win ended a three-game drought at home and bumped them up to 10-9.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Florida Christian has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Palmer Trinity struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.2. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Florida Christian beat Palmer Trinity 3-0 in their previous meeting back in May of 2023. Does Florida Christian have another victory up their sleeve, or will Palmer Trinity turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
