The Maclay Marauders will challenge the Wakulla War Eagles at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Maclay will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each contest than the last.
Maclay made up a huge gap compared to their last game against Leon, but they still couldn't quite topple them. Maclay never let Leon get on the board and left with a 10-0 win on Saturday. With that victory, the Marauders brought their scoring average up to 6.2 runs per game.
The team relied heavily on Tucker Poppell, who scored three runs while going 2-for-2. That's the most hits he has posted since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Henry Richardson, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Maclay always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .516. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Leon only posted an OBP of .296.
Meanwhile, Wakulla was not the first on the board last Tuesday, but they got there more often. They came out on top against Madison County by a score of 8-5. The War Eagles haven't had any issues with the Cowboys recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Gavin Estep made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out eight over seven innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
In other batting news, Josiah Pierini was incredible, going 1-for-3 with one home run and two runs. Another player making a difference was James Hoffman, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
Maclay's victory bumped their record up to 9-4. As for Wakulla, their win bumped their record up to 9-5.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Maclay has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .445. However, it's not like Wakulla struggles in that department as they've averaged .462. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Maclay's way against Wakulla in their previous meeting back in February, as Maclay made off with a 13-7 victory. Does Maclay have another victory up their sleeve, or will Wakulla turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
