Baseball Game Preview: Winter Haven Blue Devils vs. George Jenkins Eagles

The Winter Haven Blue Devils will take on the George Jenkins Eagles at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Winter Haven will be strutting in after a win while George Jenkins will be coming in after a loss.

On Thursday, it was close, but Winter Haven sidestepped Ridge Community for a 6-4 victory. The win continues a trend for the Blue Devils in their matchups with the Bolts: they've now won five in a row.

Winter Haven got a great performance from John Kostuch as he struck out six batters over 4.2 innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off three hits (and not a single walk). Kostuch has been consistent : he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Zion Philpot was excellent, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-2. He also put up a double, which was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Jaden Horbett, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-2.

Meanwhile, George Jenkins was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their third straight defeat. They took a 6-2 hit to the loss column at the hands of Mulberry.

Winter Haven now has a winning record of 5-4. As for George Jenkins, they now have a losing record of 3-4.

Winter Haven couldn't quite finish off George Jenkins in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 and fell 6-4. Will Winter Haven have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.