The Eustis Panthers will venture away from home to challenge the Lake Minneola Hawks at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
Fans were treated to a battle of the Panthers on Friday. Eustis came up short against Dr. Phillips, falling 6-0. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat Eustis has suffered since March 11, 2025.
Meanwhile, Lake Minneola beat Martin County 6-3 on Friday.
Chase Dougherty spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered three runs (all of which were unearned) on six hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Colson May, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Malachi Meyers, who went 2-for-4 with two runs.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Lake Minneola kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That's the most hits they've posted since back in April of 2025.
Lake Minneola is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-4 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.8 runs on average over those games. As for Eustis, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost four of their last five games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 10-7 record this season.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Eustis has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Lake Minneola struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Eustis was able to grind out a solid victory over Lake Minneola in their previous matchup back in February, winning 4-0. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
