Bradford hasn't had much luck against Keystone Heights recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Tornadoes will venture away from home to face off against the Indians at 7:00 p.m. Bradford has given up an average of 7.4 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Bradford is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 17 runs on Monday, they were much more limited against Williston on Tuesday. They lost 11-1 to the Red Devils. The Tornadoes have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Bradford saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Patrick Pendarvis, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base.
Fernandina Beach typically has all the answers at home, but on Tuesday Keystone Heights proved too difficult a challenge. They were the clear victors by a 9-1 margin over the Pirates. Considering the Indians have won seven matchups by more than seven runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Ty Mitzel spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered a run (which was unearned) on four hits and racked up six Ks. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Keystone Heights let Andrew Wilson and Ethan Franklin run wild. Wilson went 2-for-4 with one home run, while Franklin went 1-for-3 with one triple, two RBI, and one run. That's the most RBI Franklin has posted since back in February. Another player making a difference was Destin Harnage, who went 3-for-5 with two RBI.
Keystone Heights was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .375. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Fernandina Beach only posted a batting average of .167.
Keystone Heights' record is now 14-5. As for Bradford, they now have a losing record of 10-11.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Bradford has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Keystone Heights struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 2.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Bradford suffered a grim 11-3 defeat to Keystone Heights in their previous meeting back in February. Can the Tornadoes avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
