Yulee is a perfect 7-0 against Hilliard since March of 2018 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Hornets will square off against the Red Flashes at 6:30 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Yulee's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Tuesday. They blew past Cedar Creek Christian 19-0. The Hornets might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight games by seven runs or more this season.
Braden Valenteen and Brodie Nichols made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, Valenteen struck out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Nichols pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Those six strikeouts gave Valenteen a new career-high. At the plate, Valenteen scored a run while going 2-for-3, while Nichols scored three runs while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Yulee is undefeated when Nichols posts two or more runs, but 7-10 otherwise.
Logan Riege
| 04/01/25 vs Cedar Creek Christian | 2 |
| 03/28/25 vs Westside | 2 |
| 03/26/25 @ Stanton | 2 |
| 03/12/25 vs Cedar Creek Christian | 2 |
| 03/03/25 @ Andrew Jackson | 2 |
| + 7 more games |
In other batting news, Yulee let Kenny Schweitzer and Logan Riege run wild. Schweitzer scored a run while going 2-for-2, while Riege scored two runs while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. Riege is becoming a predictor of Yulee's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 6-1 (and 6-9 when he doesn't). Daylon Adams was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances.
Yulee always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .706. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Cedar Creek Christian only posted an OBP of .389.
Meanwhile, Hilliard came into Friday's contest having lost three straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They were the clear victors by an 11-0 margin over St. John Lutheran on Friday. The matchup marked the Red Flashes' most dominant win of the season.
Conner Bayless made a splash no matter where he played. He didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over four innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three runs. That home run marked the first that he launched this season.
In other batting news, Hilliard got a big performance out of Ethan Garland, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 1-for-2. Garland also brought in an RBI, marking his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Braden Bentley, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
Yulee is on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five games. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-10 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.2 runs over those games. As for Hilliard, their record now sits at 4-13.
Everything went Yulee's way against Hilliard in their previous meeting back in February of 2024, as Yulee made off with a 10-2 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Hornets since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
