Softball Game Preview: Fernandina Beach Pirates vs. Hilliard Red Flashes

The Fernandina Beach Pirates will challenge the Hilliard Red Flashes at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Fernandina Beach will be strutting in after a win while Hilliard will be coming in after a defeat.

While Fernandina Beach's victory against Bishop Snyder wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Pirates never let the Cardinals get on the board and left with a 2-0 win on Tuesday. The Pirates haven't had any issues with the Cardinals recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive victory against them.

The result came thanks to Carsen Chmiel's shutout, as she gave up just three hits and racked up seven Ks.

On the hitting side, Fernandina Beach saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Rylee Murallo, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-2.

Meanwhile, Hilliard was not able to break out of their rough patch on Tuesday as the team picked up their tenth straight loss. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost a 5-4 heartbreaker at the hands of West Nassau.

Nevaeh Brown spent all 8.1 innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and one unearned) runs on ten hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Kierstin Northern was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-3 with one home run, one stolen base, and two RBI.

Fernandina Beach's win bumped their record up to 5-9. As for Hilliard, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-11.

Fernandina Beach skirted past Hilliard 4-2 when the teams last played back in March. Do the Pirates have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Red Flashes turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.