The Duval Charter Panthers will square off against the Stanton Blue Devils at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
On Tuesday, Duval Charter needed a bit of extra time to put away Old Plank Christian Academy. They came out on top in a nail-biter against the Defenders, sneaking past 7-5. The win continues a trend for the Panthers in their matchups with the Defenders: they've now won nine in a row.
Alex Messer made a splash no matter where he played. On the mound, he tossed 1.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Messer was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with two stolen bases and two runs.
In other batting news, Logan Zapata was excellent, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI. That's the most hits he has posted since back in February of 2025.
Meanwhile, Stanton hadn't done well against Mandarin recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Wednesday. The Blue Devils were the clear victors by a 14-7 margin over the Mustangs. Fans of the Blue Devils have seen this all before: every one of the games they've played this season has ended in a blowout of 6+ runs.
Like Duval Charter, Stanton also got a great game from a two-way player: Gio Cruz. He pitched six innings while giving up five earned (and two unearned) runs off seven hits. Cruz was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-5 with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games he's played.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Yandi Torres, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI, one run, and one double. That double marked the first that he has hit this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Brooks Jarrett, who earned one RBI and two runs.
Stanton's victory bumped their record up to 4-0. As for Duval Charter, they now have a winning record of 2-1.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Duval Charter has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .500. However, it's not like Stanton struggles in that department as they've averaged .475. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Duval Charter suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Stanton in their previous meeting back in March of 2023. Will the Panthers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
