Rockledge and Melbourne are an even 5-5 against one another since February of 2016, but likely not for long. The Rockledge Raiders are taking a road trip to challenge the Melbourne Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Rockledge is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 10 runs per game this season.
Rockledge took a 15-run loss the last time they faced off against Merritt Island, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. Rockledge sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 9-7 victory over Merritt Island on Thursday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Raiders have posted since April 18, 2024.
Haley Smith
| 02/20/25 @ Merritt Island | 10 |
| 02/11/25 vs Melbourne | 9 |
| 02/18/25 vs Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy | 8 |
| 02/13/25 @ Space Coast | 3 |
Haley Smith spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and three unearned) runs on eight hits and racked up ten Ks. Those ten strikeouts set a new season-high mark for her.
On the hitting side, Ahraya Dalaq was excellent, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 1-for-3. She has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Taylor Holtz, who scored two runs while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, after soaring to 12 runs the game before, Melbourne was a bit more limited in their game on Thursday. They came up short against Viera, falling 18-2.
Melbourne saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Charlotte Martin, who scored a run while going 2-for-3. Another was Krysten Bender, who scored a run while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances.
The victory (which was Rockledge's third in a row) raised their record to 3-1. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.3 runs over those games. As for Melbourne, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-1.
Rockledge came up short against Melbourne in their previous meeting last Tuesday, falling 12-8. Can Rockledge avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
