Buchholz is 7-1 against Santa Fe since March of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Buchholz Bobcats will host the Santa Fe Raiders at 7:00 p.m. Buchholz is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last three games.
If Buchholz beats Santa Fe with eight runs on Friday, it's going to be the squad's new lucky number: they've won their past two games with that exact score. Buchholz sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 8-6 win over Suwannee on Tuesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Bobcats have posted since April 29, 2024.
Aidan Kastensmidt made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over four innings pitched. Kastensmidt was also stellar in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with one home run and three RBI.
In other pitching news, Cohen Lafler looked comfortable as he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit.
Cedaris Smith
| 02/18/25 vs Suwannee | 1 |
| 02/14/25 vs Columbia | 1 |
| 02/11/25 @ Fleming Island | 1 |
| 04/18/24 @ Fleming Island | 2 |
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Cedaris Smith, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-3. He has been hot recently, having also posted at least one stolen base the last four times he's played.
Buchholz lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That's the most home runs they've posted since back in April of 2024.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Santa Fe, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. They put the hurt on West Port with a sharp 12-4 win on Thursday. Considering the Raiders' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Zach Marriott looked comfortable as he tossed four innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off four hits.
On the hitting side, Jackson McDavid was a standout: he went 2-for-4 with one triple, one stolen base, and two RBI. That triple was his first of the season. The team also got some help courtesy of Dylan Doria, who went 1-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI.
Buchholz pushed their record up to 3-0 with the victory, which was their tenth straight at home dating back to last season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.4 runs over those games. As for Santa Fe, their win bumped their record up to 2-3.
Buchholz's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's contest. Buchholz has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 6.3 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Santa Fe, though, as they've been averaging only 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Buchholz continue to outrun the ball?
Buchholz couldn't quite finish off Santa Fe in their previous matchup back in February of 2021 and fell 3-1. Can Buchholz avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
