The Beachside Barracudas will head out on the road to square off against the Palatka Panthers at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The two teams are strolling into their matches after big wins in their previous games.
Beachside will roll into the game after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up two runs on Friday, then bounced right back against Orange Park on Tuesday. Beachside was the clear victors by a 14-2 margin over Orange Park. While the Barracudas didn't have the best season last year (they finished 8-16), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
Madden Lutze was incredible, going 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and two doubles. The team also got some help courtesy of Lily Jurgens, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI.
Beachside was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .520. The last time their batting average was this high was back in February of 2024.
Meanwhile, everything went Palatka's way against Menendez last Tuesday as Palatka made off with an 11-2 victory. The win continues a trend for the Panthers in their matchups with the Falcons: they've now won four in a row.
Haleigh Faulkner and Cali Taylor did most of the damage at the plate: Faulkner scored three runs while going 3-for-4, while Taylor scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances. That stolen base marked the first that Taylor snagged this season. Another player making a difference was Hannah Faulkner, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI.
Beachside's record now sits at 5-1. As for Palatka, their record is now 3-1.
Wednesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Beachside hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .358. However, it's not like Palatka struggles in that department as they've averaged .376. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Beachside came up short against Palatka when the teams last played back in April of 2024, falling 6-1. Can Beachside avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
