Baseball Game Preview: Jack Britt Buccaneers vs. Terry Sanford Bulldogs

Jack Britt is 0-4 against Terry Sanford since April of 2015 but things could change on Saturday. The Buccaneers will be taking part in a tournament against the Bulldogs at 1:00 p.m. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Jack Britt comes in on three and Terry Sanford on ten.

Jack Britt took a seven-run loss the last time they faced off against Cape Fear, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Buccaneers came out on top in a nail-biter against the Colts on Thursday, sneaking past 2-0. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Buccaneers have posted since February 28th.

Meanwhile, Terry Sanford got the win against Westover on Thursday by a conclusive 12-1. Considering the Bulldogs have won ten matches by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.

Louis Smelcer was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. What's more, he posted two strikeouts, the most he's had since back in March of 2024. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with three RBI.

In other batting news, Gibson Bray and Jesse Cortez did most of the damage at the plate: Bray scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in two of his three plate appearances, while Cortez scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. Jackson Van Wormer also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen base of the season.

Terry Sanford was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .500. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .391 or higher in three consecutive games.

Terry Sanford's victory was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 15-3. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.7 runs over those games. As for Jack Britt, their record is now 11-6.

Jack Britt might still be hurting after the 12-6 defeat they got from Terry Sanford in their previous meeting back in March of 2023. Can the Buccaneers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.