The Gulf Breeze Dolphins will square off against the Northview Chiefs at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
Gulf Breeze came into this matchup off a tough 15-run loss on Thursday. This time they kept things ultra-competitive, but unfortunately the final result was the same. They fell just short of T.R. Miller by a score of 3-1 on Friday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Dolphins have suffered since April 5, 2024.
Jacey Reed spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three runs (all of which were unearned) on five hits and racked up eight Ks.
Meanwhile, Northview sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 3-2 victory over Navarre on Friday.
Northview also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Mikayla McAnally gave up only one earned (and one unearned) run on five hits. McAnally has been consistent : she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in six consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Aubrey Hadley and Riley Brooks did most of the damage at the plate: Hadley went a perfect 2-for-2 with one triple and one RBI, while Brooks went 1-for-2 with one triple, one run, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Addysen Bolen, who scored a run while going 2-for-3.
Northview is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 13-5 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games. As for Gulf Breeze, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 10-7.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Gulf Breeze has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Northview struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.2 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Gulf Breeze might still be hurting after the 14-5 loss they got from Northview when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Will the Dolphins 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.
