The Rockledge Raiders will venture away from home to square off against the Sebastian River Sharks at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Rockledge is coming into the contest hot, having won their last seven games.
While Rockledge's victory against Space Coast wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. Rockledge skirted past Space Coast 4-2.
Haley Smith spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on four hits and racked up 11 Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Rockledge let Kaylah Comeau and Gizelle Arteaga run wild. Comeau went 1-for-3 with one home run, while Arteaga scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-3. The team also got some help courtesy of Haylie Miller, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Rockledge hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now struck out at most five strikeouts in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Sebastian River got themselves on the board against Treasure Coast on Tuesday, but Treasure Coast never followed suit. They were the clear victors by a 10-0 margin over the Titans. The Sharks have beaten the Titans the last three times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Titans has come to flipping the script.
Not much got past Kiera Carow, who gave up just two hits and racked up 11 Ks to keep Treasure Coast off the board. That's the most strikeouts Carow has posted since back in March of 2024.
At the plate, Sebastian River got a big performance out of Rily Biggers, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. Ashlyn Gutermuth also deserves some recognition as she hit her first doubles of the season.
Rockledge's win was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 10-3. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 4.0 runs on average over those games. As for Sebastian River, their record is now 8-4.
Thursday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Rockledge hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .344. However, it's not like Sebastian River struggles in that department as they've averaged .425. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Rockledge came out on top in a nail-biter against Sebastian River when the teams last played back in February, sneaking past 5-4. The rematch might be a little tougher for Rockledge since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
