Fernandina Beach and Oakleaf are an even 3-3 against one another since February of 2019, but likely not for long. The Fernandina Beach Pirates will head out on the road to take on the Oakleaf Knights at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Fernandina Beach will be coming into the game with an undefeated record on the line.
On Thursday, Fernandina Beach got the win against Hilliard by a conclusive 12-2. The Pirates might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won three matchups by six runs or more this season.
Trace Farmer
| 02/27/25 vs Hilliard | 3 |
| 02/20/25 @ Bishop Kenny | 2 |
| 02/25/25 @ Wolfson | 1 |
| 02/10/25 vs Atlantic Coast | 1 |
| 04/12/24 @ Keystone Heights | 1 |
Trace Farmer and Tanner Jones did most of the damage at the plate: Farmer went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and two RBI, while Jones went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. The dominant performance also gave Farmer a new career-high in hits (three). Davis Greeson was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
Fernandina Beach always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .536. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Hilliard only posted an OBP of .300.
Meanwhile, Oakleaf suffered their closest loss since March 12, 2024 on Thursday. They fell just short of Nease by a score of 4-2. The Knights have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Abrien Paseiro spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered three earned (and one unearned) runs on six hits and racked up ten Ks. Those ten strikeouts set a new season-high mark for him.
On the hitting side, JP Espinosa made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 1-for-4 with one home run. That home run marked the first that he launched this season.
Fernandina Beach pushed their record up to 6-0 with the win, which was their third straight at home. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.7 runs over those games. As for Oakleaf, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-4.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Fernandina Beach has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.2 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Oakleaf struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Fernandina Beach skirted past Oakleaf 7-6 in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for Fernandina Beach since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
