The Bartow Yellow Jackets will challenge the Winter Haven Blue Devils at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Bartow 3.5, Winter Haven 2.5) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Winter Haven will face off against a team with plenty of momentum: Bartow extended their winning streak to five on Tuesday. The Yellow Jackets' pitchers stepped up to hand Lake Gibson a 9-0 shutout. The home team had taken home the W every time these teams have met since May 2, 2022, but that streak is no more.
Laz Martinez looked comfortable as he pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits.
Kelan Elliott
| 03/10/26 @ Lake Gibson | 4 |
| 03/03/26 vs Auburndale | 2 |
| 02/14/26 @ Manatee | 2 |
| 02/10/26 vs Sebring | 2 |
| 02/27/26 vs Ridge Community | 1 |
| + 3 more games |
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Kelan Elliott, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with four stolen bases and three runs. Bartow is undefeated when Elliott posts two or more stolen bases, but 4-5 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Drew Fenley, who went 1-for-4 with one triple and one run.
Meanwhile, Winter Haven suffered their closest loss since April 7, 2025 on Tuesday. They fell just short of George Jenkins by a score of 6-4.
Jody Wilson and Deric Morris stepped up to the plate in a big way. Wilson went 2-for-3 with two runs and two doubles, while Morris went a perfect 2-for-2 with two RBI and one run. Those doubles were Wilson's first of the season.
Bartow's win bumped their record up to 8-5. As for Winter Haven, their defeat was their first in the district, dropping their district record down to 3-1 and their overall record down to 9-3.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Bartow has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Winter Haven struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.2 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Bartow came up short against Winter Haven in their previous matchup back in February, falling 4-1. Will the Yellow Jackets have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
