The Apopka Blue Darters will head out on the road to take on the Horizon Hawks at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Apopka is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.5 runs per game this season.
Apopka will roll into the matchup after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any runs on Friday, then bounced right back against University on Tuesday. The Blue Darters put the hurt on the Cougars with a sharp 12-0 win. The Blue Darters might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven contests by seven runs or more this season.
Connor McAfee looked comfortable as he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent : he hasn't given up more than two hits in five consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Timothy (Jez) Hamrick was excellent, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3. Chance Saunders was another key player, scoring two runs while going 1-for-2.
Apopka always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .581. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as University only posted an OBP of .167.
Meanwhile, Horizon had to endure a five-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They walked away with a 9-4 victory over Cypress Creek on Monday.
The team relied heavily on Denver Patton, who went 2-for-3 with four RBI and one double. That's the most hits he has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Jose Massanet, who scored three runs while going 2-for-4.
Apopka's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 13-7. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.3 runs over those games. As for Horizon, they now have a winning record of 12-11.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Apopka has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Horizon struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.3 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Everything went Apopka's way against Horizon in their previous meeting back in April of 2023, as Apopka made off with a 10-0 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Blue Darters since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
