Fort Meade is 1-8 against Hardee since February of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. Fort Meade will host Hardee at 7:30 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Fort Meade was handed a heart-breaking two-run loss in their last match, but they sure didn't let that happen against Mulberry on Friday. Fort Meade blew past Mulberry 15-6. Considering the Miners have won nine contests by more than five runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Nakaia Pinkston made a big impact no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run over four innings pitched. Pinkston was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI. That triple marked the first that she hit this season.
In other batting news, Cailynn Johnson was a standout: she went 4-for-5 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. That's the most hits she has posted since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Marleigh Carroll, who went 3-for-5 with three runs, four RBI, and one triple.
Fort Meade kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. They are 8-2 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Hardee, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Thursday. They walked away with a 10-6 victory over Manatee on Friday. The Wildcats haven't had any issues with the Hurricanes recently, as the game was their ninth consecutive win against them.
Jodi Salas looked comfortable as she pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Kirstyn Faulkner, who scored two runs while going 3-for-4. Another player making a difference was Saydee Herrera, who scored a run while going 1-for-4.
Fort Meade's victory bumped their record up to 11-6. As for Hardee, their win bumped their record up to 3-8.
Hardee's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Fort Meade has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .445. It's a different story for Hardee, though, as they've only averaged .347. Will they be able to contain Fort Meade's hitters?
Fort Meade took their victory against Hardee when the teams last played back in February by a conclusive 18-2. Will Fort Meade repeat their success, or does Hardee has a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
