The Santa Fe Raiders will head out on the road to face off against the Bartram Trail Bears at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Santa Fe is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last four games.
While Santa Fe's victory against The Villages Charter wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. Santa Fe had just enough and edged out The Villages Charter 6-4.
Ryleigh Davis tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run while striking out nine over 6.2 innings pitched.
At the plate, J'Lyn Guyden was incredible, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, one triple, and one run. That triple marked the first that she hit this season. Maren Hornsby was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing Three bases. while going 2-for-3.
The home team had won the previous seven meetings between Bartram Trail and Nease, and Bartram Trail kept the tradition alive. Bartram Trail walked away with an 8-3 win over Nease on Wednesday. While the Bears didn't have the best season last year (they finished 10-15), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
Ella Crouse spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on nine hits. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Hailey Allen, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4. Another player making a difference was Ryan Penzone, who went 1-for-2 with one stolen base and two RBI.
Bartram Trail hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now struck out at most two strikeouts in four consecutive contests.
Santa Fe pushed their record up to 9-1 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.0 runs over those games. As for Bartram Trail, they are on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five games. That's provided a massive bump to their 6-4 record this season.
Bartram Trail's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Santa Fe hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .351. It's a different story for Bartram Trail, though, as they've only averaged .258. Will they be able to contain Santa Fe's hitters? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
