Florence is preparing for their first league matchup of the season on Saturday. They will welcome the Colorado Springs Christian Lions at 11:00 a.m. Florence has given up an average of 7.9 runs per game this season, but Saturday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Florence came up short against Crowley County on Wednesday, falling 16-1. The Huskies have struggled against the Chargers recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive lost meeting.
Meanwhile, after only two runs in their last match, Colorado Springs Christian made sure to put some runs up on the board against Sierra on Tuesday. The Lions came out on top in a nail-biter against the Stallions, sneaking past 12-11. The high-scoring performance was a welcome turnaround for the Lions' hitters, who had struggled in the games prior.
Austin Leigh was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over three innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off three hits (and only one walk). Those six strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one run. He also put up a double, which was his first of the season.
In other batting news, Colorado Springs Christian got a massive performance out of Jace Velasquez, who scored three runs and stole six bases while going 3-for-4. Those six stolen bases gave Velasquez a new career-high. Britton Thompson was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing four bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Colorado Springs Christian's victory bumped their record up to 2-3. As for Florence, their loss dropped their record down to 5-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Saturday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Florence has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.4 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Colorado Springs Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 6.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Florence suffered a grim 17-2 defeat to Colorado Springs Christian when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Huskies avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
