Choctawhatchee hasn't had much luck against Niceville recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Choctawhatchee Indians are taking a road trip to square off against the Niceville Eagles at 7:00 p.m. Choctawhatchee is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.5 runs per game this season.
On Tuesday, Choctawhatchee got the win against Booker T. Washington by a conclusive 8-2. The win continues a trend for the Indians in their matchups with the Wildcats: they've now won three in a row.
Carson Appleton tossed a big game, striking out six batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off one hit. He is becoming a predictor of Choctawhatchee's success: when he allows at most three earned runs the team is 3-1 (and 3-4 when he doesn't).
Aaron Rowell
| 03/03/25 vs Rocky Bayou Christian | 3 |
| 03/11/25 @ Booker T. Washington | 2 |
| 02/28/25 @ Pine Forest | 2 |
| 03/07/25 vs Fort Walton Beach | 1 |
| 02/25/25 vs Destin | 1 |
| + 3 more games |
On the hitting side, Aaron Rowell was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing Two bases. while going 2-for-2. Choctawhatchee is undefeated when Rowell posts two or more runs, but 3-5 otherwise. Jordan Figueroa also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen base of the season.
Meanwhile, Niceville entered their tilt with Mosley on Tuesday with six consecutive wins , and they'll enter their next game with seven. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured an 8-7 W against the Dolphins.
Niceville also got a great performance from Brady Martin as he tossed five innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off three hits. Martin has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Nicholas Gates, who went 1-for-3 with one home run and four RBI. Yahir Burgos was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
Choctawhatchee now has a winning record of 6-5. As for Niceville, they pushed their record up to 11-1 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Choctawhatchee hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .330. However, it's not like Niceville struggles in that department as they've averaged .323. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Choctawhatchee might still be hurting after the 15-3 defeat they got from Niceville when the teams last played last Tuesday. Can Choctawhatchee avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
