The Avon Park Red Devils will take on the Clewiston Tigers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
Avon Park took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They skirted past Frostproof 3-2. The Red Devils haven't had any issues with the Bulldogs recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive victory against them.
Eric Harrison
| 04/03/25 vs Frostproof | 9 |
| 03/28/25 vs Lake Wales | 6 |
| 03/20/25 vs Sebring | 7 |
| 03/17/25 vs St. Albans | 1 |
| 03/11/25 vs IMG Academy Blue | 6 |
| + 2 more games |
Eric Harrison made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out nine batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off six hits. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in February. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one triple, one run, and one double.
Harrison wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Maddox Pollitt, who scored a run while going 1-for-3. Jonathan Regino also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen base of the season.
Avon Park hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Frostproof struck out nine times.
Meanwhile, Clewiston waltzed into their matchup on Thursday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 6-5 W against the Dragons. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Tigers have posted against the Dragons since March 24, 2022.
Like Avon Park, Clewiston also got a great game from a two-way player: Jackson Mann. He struck out 11 batters over 5.2 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off four hits. Mann has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't tossed less than nine strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
Avon Park's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 15-6. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Clewiston, their victory bumped their record up to 13-4.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Avon Park has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Clewiston struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 9.9 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Avon Park couldn't quite get it done against Clewiston when the teams last played back in March as they fell 4-0. Will the Red Devils 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.
