The Pensacola Tigers will head out to square off against the South Walton Seahawks at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Pensacola is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.5 runs per game this season.
Fans were treated to a battle of the Tigers on Friday. Pensacola took an 8-5 hit to the loss column at the hands of Malone. Pensacola's loss signaled the end of their four-game winning streak.
Pensacola saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Gianni Dian, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base. Demarcus Newell also deserves some recognition as he scored his first run of the season.
Meanwhile, South Walton entered their tilt with Crestview on Thursday with 11 consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with 12. They blew past the Bulldogs 12-0. Considering the Seahawks have won 15 matchups by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Jace Cunningham was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He has been consistent : he hasn't given up more than two hits in eight consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 1-for-1. What's more, he posted two RBI, the most he's had since back in February.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Frank Wells, who scored three runs and stole two bases while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Jackson Perkins, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-2.
South Walton always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .594. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Crestview only posted an OBP of .222.
South Walton's win was their sixth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 22-3. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average over those games. As for Pensacola, their defeat dropped their record down to 11-10.
Monday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Pensacola has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .440. However, it's not like South Walton struggles in that department as they've averaged .489. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
