After both having extra time off, the Dr. Joaquin Garcia Bulldogs and the Wellington Wolverines will shake off the rust and duke it out at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Dr. Joaquin Garcia is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.9 runs per game this season.
Last Thursday, Dr. Joaquin Garcia was able to grind out a solid victory over King's Academy, taking the game 5-2.
The team relied heavily on Mackenzie Gerst, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-3. Those two stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Lyla Coulson also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Dr. Joaquin Garcia 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 three strikeouts in four consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Wellington made easy work of Eau Gallie last Friday and carried off an 11-1 win. The Wolverines might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four matchups by nine runs or more this season.
Tori Payne made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over six innings pitched. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in nine consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-4.
In other batting news, Angelina Baronci was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. Kaylee Riles was another key player, scoring three runs while going 2-for-3.
Dr. Joaquin Garcia's record now sits at 8-6. As for Wellington, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won seven of their last eight games. That's provided a nice bump to their 10-2 record this season.
Both Dr. Joaquin Garcia and Wellington just can't seem to miss. Dr. Joaquin Garcia has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 8.7 hits per game. However, it's not like Wellington struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 4.4 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Dr. Joaquin Garcia suffered a grim 19-7 defeat to Wellington in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can Dr. Joaquin Garcia avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
