Avon Park is 1-9 against Mulberry since February of 2016 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Red Devils will be playing at home against the Panthers at 7:30 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
On Thursday, Avon Park made easy work of Lakeland and carried off a 10-1 victory. The result was nothing new for the Red Devils, who have now won six games by eight runs or more so far this season.
The team relied heavily on Skylar Hicks, who scored three runs and stole three bases while going 2-for-3. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in February. The team also got some help courtesy of Kamya Brassell, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Mulberry ultimately got the result they hoped for on Thursday. They came out on top against Lake Gibson by a score of 10-7. The win continues a trend for the Panthers in their matchups with the Braves: they've now won four in a row.
Haylie Hightower spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and three unearned) runs on 11 hits.
At the plate, Kensingten Danforth was a standout: she got on base in all five of her plate appearances with three RBI, two runs, and one triple. Another player making a difference was A'Lejah Washington, who scored three runs while going 3-for-5.
Mulberry was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .421. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Avon Park has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-5 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.3 runs over those games. As for Mulberry, their win bumped their record up to 9-7.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Avon Park has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Mulberry struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 4.6 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Avon Park suffered a grim 23-0 defeat to Mulberry when the teams last played back in March of 2022. 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.
