The Leon Lions will head out on the road to square off against the Chiles Timberwolves at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Leon will be coming into the match with an undefeated record on the line.
Leon lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Wakulla, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Tuesday's contest. Leon blew past Wakulla 8-1 on Tuesday. The result was nothing new for the Lions, who have now won seven games by seven runs or more so far this season.
Baker Safley made a splash while hitting and pitching. He struck out nine batters over six innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits (and only one walk). Safley was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kolbe Baker, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Hayden McNeill also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen base of the season.
Meanwhile, after soaring to ten runs the game before, Chiles was a bit more limited in their match on Thursday. They took a 6-1 hit to the loss column at the hands of Lincoln.
Chiles saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Cole Lawson, who scored a run while going 2-for-3.
Leon's win was their ninth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 9-0. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.2 runs over those games. As for Chiles, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost three of their last four contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 4-5 record this season.
Chiles' pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Leon has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .506. It's a different story for Chiles, though, as they've only averaged .362. Will they be able to contain Leon's hitters?
Leon came up short against Chiles when the teams last played back in April of 2024, falling 11-7. Can Leon avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.