vs
| 04/30/24 - Neutral | 9-2 W |
| 03/25/24 - Home | 10-0 W |
| 03/14/24 - Away | 15-5 W |
| 03/30/23 - Home | 4-1 W |
| 03/23/23 - Away | 11-6 W |
| + 5 more games |
Escambia has gone 9-1 against Booker T. Washington recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Escambia Gators will be playing at home against the Booker T. Washington Wildcats at 6:30 p.m. The timing is sure in Escambia's favor as the squad sits on five straight wins at home (dating back to last season) while Booker T. Washington has been banged up by ten consecutive losses on the road also dating back to last season.
Escambia had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the nine-run drubbing they dealt Davidson on Wednesday. Escambia put the hurt on Davidson with a sharp 12-3 victory. The match marked the Gators' most dominant win of the season so far.
Matthew Jacobsma looked comfortable as he struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Christian Stone, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-3. That's the most runs he has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Colin Hanks, who scored two runs while going 2-for-4.
Escambia was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .379. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .357 or higher in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, after low-scoring totals in their previous four contests, Booker T. Washington brought some dynamite into their most recent game. They were the clear victor by a 22-6 margin over West Florida Baptist Academy on Tuesday. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Wildcats as it put an end to their five-game losing streak dating back to last season.
Martin Manzano was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Manzano was also solid in the batter's box, scoring three runs while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Those runs were his first of the season.
In other batting news, JJ Startzel was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing three bases while going 3-for-3. Those runs marked the first that he scored this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Jonathan Wallin, who scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances.
Booker T. Washington's first win this season bumped their record up to 1-4. As for Escambia, their victory bumped their record up to 4-1.
Booker T. Washington's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Escambia hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .381. It's a different story for Booker T. Washington, though, as they've only averaged .242. Will they be able to contain Escambia's hitters?
Everything went Escambia's way against Booker T. Washington when the teams last played back in April of 2024, as Escambia made off with a 9-2 win. Will Escambia repeat their success, or does Booker T. Washington have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
