Fort Walton Beach is 0-4 against Arnold since February of 2016 but things could change on Wednesday. The Vikings will face off against the Marlins at 7:00 p.m. Fort Walton Beach knows how to get runs on the board -- the squad has finished with ten runs or more in their past three matchups -- so hopefully Arnold likes a good challenge.
Fort Walton Beach is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Monday. They put the hurt on Rickards with a sharp 16-1 victory. Considering the Vikings have won 11 contests by more than six runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Rilyn Douglas was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. Douglas was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and one double.
In other batting news, Alyx Hall was a standout: she went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. Hannah Isham was another key player, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with four runs, two stolen bases, and one RBI.
Fort Walton Beach was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .545. They are a perfect 13-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Arnold, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Tuesday. They came out on top against Choctawhatchee by a score of 4-1 on Monday. The Marlins haven't had any issues with the Indians recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.
Bre Clark spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on three hits and racked up 18 Ks. Those 18 strikeouts set a new season-high mark for her.
At the plate, Laela Kern was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Justice Taylor, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base and one double.
Fort Walton Beach has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five games. That's provided a nice bump to their 17-8 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.4 runs over those games. As for Arnold, their win bumped their record up to 17-7.
Wednesday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Fort Walton Beach hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .352. However, it's not like Arnold struggles in that department as they've averaged .346. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Fort Walton Beach couldn't quite finish off Arnold in their previous meeting back in April of 2022 and fell 7-5. Can the Vikings avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
