The Dunnellon Tigers are taking a road trip to square off against the North Marion Colts at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Dunnellon is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.1 runs per game this season.
Dunnellon had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 15-run drubbing they dealt West Port on Friday. Dunnellon put the hurt on West Port with a sharp 16-1 victory. The win continues a trend for the Tigers in their matchups with the Wolf Pack: they've now won five in a row.
Weston Payne looked comfortable as he pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. That's the first time he hasn't allowed a single hit since back in February.
On the hitting side, Dunnellon let Jacob Fontanez and Draven White run wild. Fontanez got on base in all three of his plate appearances with two stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI, while White went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. That's the most stolen bases Fontanez has posted since back in February. Wyatt West was another key player, going 2-for-3 with four RBI, one run, and one double.
Dunnellon always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .625. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for North Marion, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Wednesday. They won by a run and slipped past Columbia 4-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Colts have posted since April 12, 2024.
Ayden Gonzalez spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up 12 Ks. He also tossed no walks, which is notable because North Marion is 2-1 when he allows at most one walk, but 7-9 otherwise.
At the plate, North Marion's win was truly a team effort as four different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Tucker Jones, who went 1-for-2 with one double and one RBI.
North Marion is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a massive bump to their 9-10 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.8 runs over those games. Dunnellon's record now sits at 8-12.
Dunnellon skirted past North Marion 3-1 in their previous matchup back in February. The rematch might be a little tougher for Dunnellon since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
