Heritage hasn't had much luck against Eau Gallie recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Heritage Panthers will square off against the Eau Gallie Commodores at 6:00 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Heritage is headed into Thursday's game looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their third straight game on Tuesday. They lost 26-10 to Morningside Academy.
Maliyah Ayala was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-4 with two runs and one triple. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April of 2024. Jayleigh Melendez also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Meanwhile, Eau Gallie came tearing into Tuesday's matchup with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 3.3 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They blew past the Bears 16-6. The result was nothing new for the Commodores, who have now won five contests by seven runs or more so far this season.
Isabel (Izzy) Gambill made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up a single earned run in seven consecutive appearances. She was even better at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs.
In other pitching news, Evie Martin looked comfortable as she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out eight over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances.
Back at the plate, Eau Gallie got a big performance out of Ainsley O'Dell, who scored a run while going 3-for-5. Shyla Eppert was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
Eau Gallie was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .432. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their batting average total in four consecutive games.
Eau Gallie pushed their record up to 8-1 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.3 runs over those games. As for Heritage, their loss dropped their record down to 2-6.
Heritage might still be hurting after the 16-1 defeat they got from Eau Gallie in their previous matchup back in March of 2024. Can Heritage avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
