Leon is 8-2 against Rickards since March of 2019 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Leon Lions will face off against the Rickards Raiders at 4:30 p.m. The timing is sure in Leon's favor as the team sits on seven straight wins at home (dating back to last season) while Rickards has been banged up by six consecutive losses on the road also dating back to last season.
While Leon didn't have the best season last year (they finished 11-15), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. Everything went their way against Florida State University High School on Wednesday as Leon made off with a 13-4 victory. The result was nothing new for the Lions, who have now won five contests by seven runs or more so far this season.
Connor Borges made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching six innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-5.
Baker Safley
| 02/26/25 @ Florida State University High School | 3 |
| 02/25/25 vs North Florida Christian | 2 |
| 04/16/24 vs Suwannee | 2 |
| 03/11/24 vs Santa Fe Catholic | 2 |
| 03/08/24 vs Wakulla | 2 |
In other batting news, Baker Safley was incredible, going 3-for-5 with four RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in hits (three). Another player making a difference was Caleb Horne, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-2.
Leon hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now struck out at most four strikeouts in four consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, Rickards came up short against Madison County on Tuesday and fell 5-2.
Rickards saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Jahmir Williams, who scored a run while going 1-for-4.
Rickards' loss dropped their record down to 1-4. As for Leon, their win bumped their record up to 7-0.
Rickards' pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Leon hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .364. It's a different story for Rickards, though, as they've only averaged .151. Will they be able to contain Leon's hitters?
Leon took their victory against Rickards in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 21-11. Does Leon have another victory up their sleeve, or will Rickards turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
