Hilliard hasn't had much luck against Fernandina Beach recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Hilliard Red Flashes will head out to square off against the Fernandina Beach Pirates at 7:00 p.m. Hilliard has given up an average of 8 runs per game this season, so hopefully the team got some pitching drills in this week.
Hilliard is headed into Thursday's game looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their sixth straight game on Wednesday. They came up short against Baker County, falling 11-1.
Hilliard saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Conner Bayless, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI. That stolen base was Bayless' first of the season.
Meanwhile, Fernandina Beach put another one in the bag on Tuesday to keep their perfect season alive. They were the clear victor by an 8-2 margin over Wolfson. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest victory the Pirates have posted against the Wolfpack since April 26, 2021.
Trace Farmer made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he tossed five innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. That's the fewest hits he has allowed since back in April of 2024. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
In other batting news, Tanner Jones was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Dylan Wilkes, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Fernandina Beach's win was their fourth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 5-0. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs over those games. As for Hilliard, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-7.
Hilliard suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Fernandina Beach when the teams last played back in March of 2023. Can Hilliard avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
