The Osceola Warriors will face off against the Sunlake Seahawks at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Osceola 2.5, Sunlake 3.3) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Osceola was handed a heart-breaking two-run loss in their last contest, but they sure didn't let that happen against Boca Ciega on Friday. The Warriors' pitcher stepped up to hand the Pirates a 10-0 shutout. Considering the Warriors have won 12 matchups by more than seven runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
The team relied heavily on Theresa Diez, who went 1-for-2 with one home run and four RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Brooke Hall, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with three RBI and one triple.
Osceola always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .552. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Boca Ciega only posted an OBP of .211.
Meanwhile, Sunlake came tearing into Friday's game with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 4-3 W against the Panthers. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Seahawks have posted since March 14th.
Sydney Walker and Madison Siders dominated on the mound. Walker tossed five innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits, while Siders tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Walker has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 11 consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Lilly Lyons was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run. Zoey Cropper was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI.
Sunlake's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 14-6. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for Osceola, their victory bumped their record up to 15-6.
Tuesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Osceola hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .335. However, it's not like Sunlake struggles in that department as they've averaged .322. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Osceola beat Sunlake 8-3 in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Will the Warriors repeat their success, or do the Seahawks have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
