The Atlantic Coast Stingrays will take on the Fleming Island Golden Eagles at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Atlantic Coast 3.1, Fleming Island 3) so any runs scored will be well earned.
On Tuesday, Atlantic Coast got the win against Mandarin by a conclusive 9-1. Considering the Stingrays have won seven matchups by more than seven runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Morgan Brown spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on three hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Josleen Mendoza was incredible, going 1-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Bethany Carrier, who went 1-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Atlantic Coast hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They are 6-1 when they post two or more strikeouts.
The home team had won the previous three meetings between Fleming Island and Ridgeview, and Ridgeview kept the tradition alive. The Golden Eagles fell just short of the Panthers by a score of 4-3 on Thursday.
Abby Maass was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: she pitched 4.1 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits.
On the hitting side, Addison Pleiss was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. That double marked the first that she has hit this season.
Atlantic Coast is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-6 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average over those games. As for Fleming Island, they have been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 7-4 record this season.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Atlantic Coast hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .346. However, it's not like Fleming Island struggles in that department as they've averaged .347. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Atlantic Coast skirted past Fleming Island 1-0 when the teams last played back in March of 2025. Do the Stingrays have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Golden Eagles turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
