The Weeki Wachee Hornets will face off against the Pasco Pirates at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Weeki Wachee 3.1, Pasco 2.2) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Weeki Wachee is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. They never let Central get on the board and left with a 6-0 victory. The game was the first time the Hornets have beaten the Bears on their field since April 15, 2022.
The result came thanks to Jack Strong's shutout, as he gave up just two hits and racked up nine Ks.
At the plate, Jacob Barnum was excellent, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, Pasco was able to grind out a solid win over Hudson on Wednesday, taking the game 10-5. The Pirates haven't had any issues with the Cobras recently, as the game was their ninth consecutive victory against them.
Carson Wheatley made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two hits in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one home run, two stolen bases, and two runs. Those two stolen bases gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Yeceil 'JJ' Lisojo, who scored a run while going 1-for-2. What's more, he posted two RBI, the most he's had since back in March.
The win made it two in a row for Weeki Wachee and bumps their season record up to 15-11. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.5 runs over those games. As for Pasco, their win bumped their record up to 13-7.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Weeki Wachee has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.3 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Pasco struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 10.5 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Weeki Wachee came out on top in a nail-biter against Pasco in their previous matchup back in March, sneaking past 3-1. Do the Hornets have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Pirates turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
