Belleview hasn't had much luck against Gainesville recently, but that could start to change on Wednesday. The Rattlers will challenge the Purple Hurricanes at 7:00 p.m. Belleview will be strutting in after a victory while Gainesville will be coming in after a loss.
Belleview's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Thursday. They didn't even let Eastside on the board, marking the Rattlers' second-straight 15-0 shutout. The Rattlers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight contests by eight runs or more this season.
Larry Quartararo made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two hits in four consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with two runs and one RBI.
Lazaro Martinez
| 04/09/26 vs Eastside | 4 |
| 03/02/26 vs Seven Rivers Christian | 3 |
| 03/17/26 @ Munroe | 2 |
| 03/17/26 @ Gadsden County | 2 |
| 04/02/26 vs Lake Weir | 1 |
In other batting news, Lazaro Martinez was a standout: he went 2-for-3 with four RBI and one triple. Those four RBI gave him a new career-high. Liam Driskell was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI and two runs.
Belleview always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .600. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Eastside only posted an OBP of .143.
Meanwhile, after soaring to 14 runs the game before, Gainesville was a bit more limited in their game on Friday. They came up short against Newberry, falling 12-0. The defeat continues a trend for the Purple Hurricanes in their meetings with the Panthers: they've now lost five in a row.
Belleview pushed their record up to 13-5 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.3 runs over those games. As for Gainesville, their loss dropped their record down to 13-9.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Belleview has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Gainesville 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.
Belleview couldn't quite finish off Gainesville in their previous matchup back in February and fell 6-4. Can the Rattlers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
