Falcons
| 03/13/25 @ Orange Park | 15 |
| 03/11/25 @ Creekside | 2 |
| 03/07/25 vs St. Augustine | 17 |
| 03/06/25 @ Bartram Trail | 2 |
| 03/04/25 vs Ponte Vedra | 4 |
| + 5 more games |
Menendez is a perfect 4-0 against Beachside since February of 2023 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Tuesday. After both having extra time off, the two teams will shake off the rust and duke it out at 7:30 p.m. Menendez is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.9 runs per game this season.
Menendez will roll into the game after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up two runs last Tuesday, then bounced right back against Orange Park last Thursday. Menendez was the clear victor by a 15-6 margin over Orange Park. Considering the Falcons have won three matches by more than eight runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Madelyn Brown looked comfortable as she struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off two hits. She also tossed three walks, marking her first of the season.
At the plate, Menendez got a massive performance out of Meghan Dawson, who went 2-for-6 with one home run and two RBI. That home run marked the first that Dawson launched this season. Another player making a difference was Karalina Hunter, who got on base in four of her six plate appearances with three RBI and one double.
Menendez 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 four strikeouts in five consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Beachside had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8.8 runs) and they went ahead and made it five last Wednesday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Toros a 5-0 shutout. While the Barracudas didn't have the best season last year (they finished 8-16), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
Madden Lutze made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out 12 over seven innings pitched. She has been consistent : she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in six consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Lily Jurgens was excellent, scoring a run while going 1-for-2.
Beachside's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-1. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.3 runs over those games. As for Menendez, the victory got them back to even at 5-5.
Tuesday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Menendez hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .330. However, it's not like Beachside struggles in that department as they've averaged .343. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Menendez took their win against Beachside in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 11-3. The rematch might be a little tougher for Menendez since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
