The Walton Braves will challenge the North Bay Haven Academy Buccaneers at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The two teams are strolling into their games after big wins in their previous games.
Walton is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Monday. They put the hurt on Rutherford with a sharp 11-1 win.
Raina Pitts
| 04/28/25 vs Rutherford | 8 |
| 04/22/25 @ Bozeman | 4 |
| 04/17/25 @ Arnold | 1 |
| 04/16/25 vs Choctawhatchee | 4 |
| 04/11/25 @ Ponce De Leon | 8 |
| + 13 more games |
Raina Pitts made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over 3.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and only one walk). With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 5 strikeouts per game. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
In other batting news, Walton got a big performance out of Mackenzie Peels, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one stolen base. Those two hits gave Peels a new career-high. Izzy Holden was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Walton was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .407. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, North Bay Haven Academy entered their tilt with Florida State University High School on Wednesday with eight consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with nine. Their pitchers stepped up to hand the Seminoles a 14-0 shutout. The result was nothing new for the Buccaneers, who have now won 14 matchups by seven runs or more so far this season.
Like Walton, North Bay Haven Academy also got a great game from a two-way player: Addison Mallon. On the mound, she tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Mallon was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with two runs and one stolen base.
In other pitching news, Kalli Stokes looked comfortable as she tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two hits in six consecutive appearances.
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Kaylee Goodpaster, who went 2-for-3 with five RBI, three runs, and two doubles. Sydney Sheldon also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
North Bay Haven Academy pushed their record up to 19-3 with the victory, which was their ninth straight on the road. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.9 runs over those games. As for Walton, their record now sits at 9-12.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Walton has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.5 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like North Bay Haven Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 6.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Walton might still be hurting after the 10-0 defeat they got from North Bay Haven Academy when the teams last played back in March. Can the Braves avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
