Matanzas is 6-1 against Palatka since March of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Matanzas Pirates will welcome the Palatka Panthers at 6:00 p.m. Matanzas will be coming into the match with an undefeated record on the line.
The home team had come away the winner the last four times Matanzas and Taylor had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. Matanzas walked away with an 8-3 win over Taylor on Tuesday.
ASHLEY SAMPSELLE
| 03/11/25 @ Taylor | 6 |
| 03/07/25 vs Canterbury | 4 |
| 02/20/25 @ New Smyrna Beach | 2 |
| 04/30/24 vs Mainland | 7 |
ASHLEY SAMPSELLE was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over seven innings while giving up three earned runs off seven hits. That's the most strikeouts she has posted since back in April of 2024. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with one triple and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on ELAINA PADILLA, who went 2-for-3 with four RBI, one triple, and one stolen base. That triple marked the first that she hit this season. ALONDRA VINCENTY was another key player, scoring three runs while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, everything went Palatka's way against Flagler Palm Coast on Tuesday as Palatka made off with an 11-3 victory. Considering the Panthers have won four contests by more than seven runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Charla Griffin spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on ten hits.
On the hitting side, Whitney Seebacher was a standout: she scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-5. Another player making a difference was Zophia Clark, who scored a run while going 3-for-3.
Palatka was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .462. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Matanzas pushed their record up to 8-0 with the win, which was their fifth straight on the road. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.2 runs over those games. As for Palatka, they now have a winning record of 4-3.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Matanzas hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .350. However, it's not like Palatka struggles in that department as they've averaged .355. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Matanzas came out on top in a nail-biter against Palatka in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, sneaking past 6-4. Does Matanzas have another victory up their sleeve, or will Palatka turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
