The Columbia Tigers will challenge the Santa Fe Raiders at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Columbia 4.1, Santa Fe 2.8) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Columbia took a loss when they played away from home on Thursday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Keystone Heights, sneaking past 5-4.
Sakiya Merriex was excellent, scoring a run and stealing two bases while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Anna Dansby, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, Santa Fe came tearing into Friday's game with six straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8.2 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They never let the Panthers get on the board and left with an 8-0 win. The Raiders might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six contests by eight runs or more this season.
Not much got past Makenna Payne, who gave up just four hits and racked up eight Ks to keep Palatka off the board. Payne has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on J'Lyn Guyden, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. Maren Hornsby was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-3.
Santa Fe kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in seven consecutive matchups.
Columbia has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight games. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-5 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.6 runs on average over those games. Santa Fe's win was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 12-1.
Tuesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Columbia hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .312. However, it's not like Santa Fe struggles in that department as they've averaged .358. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Columbia suffered a grim 10-2 defeat to Santa Fe in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Will Columbia have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
