The Umatilla Bulldogs will face off against the North Marion Colts at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Umatilla's pitching crew has only allowed 3.5 runs per game this season, so North Marion's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Umatilla is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They had just enough and edged out The Villages Charter 2-1.
Wyatt Strawbridge
| 04/10/25 vs Mount Dora Christian Academy | 3 |
| 04/04/25 @ Foundation Academy | 2 |
| 03/28/25 @ Deltona | 2 |
| 03/08/25 vs Foundation Academy | 2 |
| 02/21/25 vs Eustis | 2 |
| + 2 more games |
Wyatt Strawbridge spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on five hits and racked up nine Ks. He is becoming a predictor of Umatilla's success: when he allows at most two earned runs the team is 9-4 (and 5-7 when he doesn't).
On the hitting side, Umatilla saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Nick Sande, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, North Marion entered their tilt with Atlantic on Tuesday with three consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with four. They came out on top against the Sharks by a score of 6-3.
John Collins was excellent, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 1-for-2. Another player making a difference was Rowan Quartararo, who scored a run while going 1-for-2.
North Marion hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least four batters in four consecutive games.
North Marion pushed their record up to 14-11 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.0 runs over those games. As for Umatilla, their victory bumped their record up to 14-11.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Umatilla has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.2 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like North Marion struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.9 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
