The Sarasota Sailors will take on the Palmetto Tigers at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Sarasota's pitching crew has only allowed 1.6 runs per game this season, so Palmetto's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Sarasota's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Tuesday. They came out on top against Manatee by a score of 4-0. The Sailors haven't had any issues with the Hurricanes recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive win against them.
The result came thanks to Blake Norman's shutout, as he gave up just five hits and racked up seven Ks. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Patrick Drymon, who scored a run while going 3-for-4. Connor Boyd was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4.
Meanwhile, Palmetto had to endure a six-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They walked away with a 7-3 victory over Lakewood Ranch on Tuesday.
Landon Henderson was incredible, going 1-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. That home run was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Chance Schappacher, who went 2-for-3 with one home run.
Palmetto lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.
Sarasota's win bumped their record up to 6-3-1. As for Palmetto, they picked up their first home victory, bumping their record up to 2-6.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Sarasota has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.3 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Palmetto struggles in that department as they've been averaging 6.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Sarasota might still be hurting after the 6-0 loss they got from Palmetto in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can Sarasota avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
