vs
| 02/20/25 - Away | 4-7 L |
| 04/25/22 - Home | 10-0 W |
| 03/15/19 - Away | 9-2 W |
| 03/14/19 - Home | 8-5 W |
| 04/20/18 - Home | 3-1 W |
| + 5 more games |
Niceville and Milton are an even 5-5 against one another since March of 2016, but likely not for long. The Eagles will challenge the Panthers at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Niceville is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.5 runs per game this season.
Niceville is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Monday. They put the hurt on Pine Forest with a sharp 14-1 win. The victory was nothing new for Niceville as they're now sitting on three straight.
David Colwell looked comfortable as he pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one hit in nine consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Jackson Marquardt was a standout: he went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, three RBI, and one triple. That home run was his first of the season. Caleb Early was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple.
Meanwhile, Milton hadn't done well against Gulf Breeze recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Monday. The Panthers came out on top in a nail-biter against the Dolphins, sneaking past 7-5. The game was the first time the Panthers have beaten the Dolphins on their field since May 6, 2021.
Saylor Melton and Brayden Barrow made a big impact no matter where they played. On the mound, Melton tossed five innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off seven hits. Meanwhile, Barrow tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Melton also tossed a walk, which is notable because Milton is undefeated when he allows at most one walk, but 7-12 otherwise. At bat, Melton got on base in four of his five plate appearances, while Barrow scored a run while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Cade Burdette was excellent, scoring a run while going 2-for-3. The team also got some help courtesy of Harley Messer, who scored two runs while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Milton's win bumped their record up to 10-12. As for Niceville, their victory bumped their record up to 22-4.
Milton's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Niceville hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .312. It's a different story for Milton, though, as they've only averaged .251. Will they be able to contain Niceville's hitters?
Niceville came up short against Milton in their previous matchup back in February, falling 7-4. Can the Eagles avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
