Leopards
| 04/25/26 vs Umatilla | 6 |
| 04/15/26 vs Nature Coast Tech | 3 |
| 04/14/26 vs Crystal River | 5 |
| 04/09/26 vs South Sumter | 7 |
| 04/08/26 @ Mitchell | 3 |
| + 21 more games |
The Hernando Leopards will challenge The Villages Charter Buffalo at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Hernando is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9 runs per game this season.
Hernando is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Saturday. They walked away with a 6-1 victory over Umatilla.
Austin Knierim made a splash no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out nine over 4.2 innings pitched. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
In other pitching news, Cadyn Williams looked comfortable as he tossed 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances.
Knierim wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Billy Ward, who went 1-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Nature Coast Tech typically has all the answers at home, but on Saturday The Villages Charter proved too difficult a challenge. They were the clear victors by an 8-2 margin over the Sharks. The result was nothing new for the Buffalo, who have now won ten matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
Chase Dasher was incredible, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Landon Howell was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two doubles, one stolen base, and one run.
The Villages Charter is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 15-10 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.3 runs over those games. As for Hernando, their record is now 21-5.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Hernando has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.3 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like The Villages Charter struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.3 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Hernando beat The Villages Charter 11-8 in their previous meeting back in May of 2025. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Leopards since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
