Baseball Game Preview: Umatilla Bulldogs vs. Hernando Leopards

For the second straight game, Umatilla will face off against Hernando. The Bulldogs will take on the Leopards at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Umatilla's pitching crew has only allowed 3.9 runs per game this season, so Hernando's hitters will have their work cut out for them.

Umatilla is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past Hernando 3-1.

Wyatt Strawbridge

Batters Struck Out

05/06/25 vs Hernando	8
04/30/25 @ South Sumter	6
04/24/25 vs Nature Coast Tech	11
04/15/25 vs The Villages Charter	9
04/10/25 vs Mount Dora Christian Academy	8
+ 5 more games

Wyatt Strawbridge spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on five hits and racked up eight Ks. He has been consistent for a while: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in ten consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Umatilla's win was truly a team effort as three different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Gavin Touchton, who got on base in all three of his plate appearances with one run and one double.

Umatilla hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Hernando struck out eight times.

Umatilla is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a nice bump to their 19-15 record this season. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of 1.67 runs across that stretch. As for Hernando, the loss snapped their winning streak at three games and leaves them with a 19-15 record.

The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Umatilla has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.2 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Hernando struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.