The Sebastian River Sharks will face off against the Merritt Island Mustangs at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. The last three games Sebastian River has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
Things were looking good for Sebastian River after they put the first points on the board on Tuesday, but unfortunately for them things went downhill from there. They fell just short of Bayside by a score of 11-9. While the Sharks didn't get the win, they did start the game off strong, beating the Bears 4-0 in the first period.
Rily Biggers was cooking despite her team's loss, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4. That stolen base marked the first that she snagged this season. Another player making a difference was Layla McKinney, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-5.
Biggers wasn't the only one working in the hit department: Sebastian River kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 16 hits. That's the most hits they've posted since back in April of 2024.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Merritt Island, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Wednesday. Everything went their way against Cocoa Beach on Monday as Merritt Island made off with a 12-2 victory. The Mustangs haven't had any issues with the Minutemen recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive win against them.
Olivia Smith spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on two hits and racked up nine Ks.
On the hitting side, Gianna Elliott was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. The dominant performance gave her a new career-high in runs. Elena Rollen was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
The victory got Merritt Island back to even at 2-2. As for Sebastian River, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-3.
Thursday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Sebastian River hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .393. However, it's not like Merritt Island struggles in that department as they've averaged .344. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Sebastian River couldn't quite finish off Merritt Island in their previous meeting back in February of 2018 and fell 6-4. Will Sebastian River 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.
