The Vanguard Knights will face off against the Crystal River Pirates at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. The timing is sure in Vanguard's favor as the team sits on six straight wins at home while Crystal River has been banged up by three consecutive losses on the road.
On Friday, Vanguard came up short against Forest and fell 8-4.
Vanguard saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Spencer Payne, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. Payne also hit a triple, marking his first of the season.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Crystal River). They walked away with an 11-6 victory over Nature Coast Tech on Wednesday. The win was some much needed relief for the Pirates as it spelled an end to their six-game losing streak.
Crystal River also got a great performance from McKown Kaden as he didn't allow a single earned run over 5.2 innings pitched. Kaden also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Crystal River is 3-1 when he allows at most three earned runs, but 1-8 otherwise.
At the plate, Grayson Stack was a standout: he scored a run and stole Two bases. while going 3-for-5. What's more, he posted three RBI, the most he's had since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Eli Langston, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4.
Crystal River always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .553. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Vanguard's loss dropped their record down to 7-3. As for Crystal River, their victory bumped their record up to 4-9.
Vanguard's speedy runners might be the difference in Monday's contest. Vanguard has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.3 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Crystal River, though, as they've been averaging only 1 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Vanguard continue to outrun the ball?
Vanguard took their win against Crystal River in their previous matchup back in February of 2023 by a conclusive 12-3. Will Vanguard repeat their success, or does Crystal River have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
