Bradford is 1-9 against Palatka since March of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Tornadoes will host the Panthers at 7:00 p.m. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
Bradford took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They came out on top against Wolfson by a score of 6-5 (the very same score they lost by in their prior game).
Jaxson Carter
| 02/26/26 vs Wolfson | 2 |
| 02/18/26 @ Williston | 1 |
| 03/31/25 vs Middleburg | 1 |
| 03/25/25 @ Hamilton County | 1 |
| 03/13/25 vs Williston | 1 |
The team relied heavily on Jaxson Carter, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. Those two runs gave him a new career-high. Kaedan Parks was another key player, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with two stolen bases and one double.
Bradford was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .406. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Palatka had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7.3 runs) and they went ahead and made it four on Wednesday. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 10-9 W against the Golden Eagles. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Panthers have posted since April 8, 2025.
Rodney Blackwelder made a splash while hitting and pitching. He pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Palatka is undefeated when he allows at most one earned run, but 2-3 otherwise. Blackwelder was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, and one double.
In other batting news, Morgan Wiggs was excellent, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and one double. That double was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Ashton Huerta, who went 1-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Palatka's win bumped their record up to 5-3. As for Bradford, their victory bumped their record up to 2-4.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Bradford has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.2 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Palatka struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.1 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Bradford suffered a grim 17-1 defeat to Palatka when the teams last played back in April of 2025. Will the Tornadoes have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
