vs
| 03/11/25 - Away | 5-8 L |
| 02/20/25 - Home | 2-18 L |
| 05/01/24 - Neutral | 2-0 W |
| 03/06/24 - Home | 11-5 W |
| 05/16/23 - Home | 1-2 L |
| + 5 more games |
Melbourne and Viera are an even 5-5 against one another since May of 2021, but likely not for long. The Bulldogs will square off against the Hawks at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Melbourne is coming into the game hot, having won their last five games.
Melbourne is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 6-5 victory over Osceola.
Brooklynn Steidl spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and two unearned) runs on nine hits and racked up seven Ks.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Layna Ayala, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. Camryn Hoppesch also deserves some recognition as she scored her first run of the season.
Meanwhile, Viera had just enough and edged out Davenport 4-3 on Tuesday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Hawks.
Viera also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Isabella Kapatoes gave up just two earned (and one unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up 12 Ks. Those 12 strikeouts set a new season-high mark for Kapatoes.
At the plate, Tori Berry was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI.
Melbourne's record is now 14-12. As for Viera, their record now sits at 16-9.
Thursday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Melbourne has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .433. However, it's not like Viera struggles in that department as they've averaged .433. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Melbourne came up short against Viera in their previous matchup back in March, falling 8-5. Can the Bulldogs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
