Hilliard hasn't had much luck against Yulee recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Red Flashes will be playing in front of their home fans against the Hornets at 6:30 p.m. After the two teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky on Thursday.
Hilliard's pitching crew heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They were the clear victors by an 11-0 margin over St. John Lutheran. That looming 11-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Red Flashes yet this season.
Conner Bayless
| 03/28/25 @ St. John Lutheran | 4 |
| 03/13/25 vs Episcopal School of Jacksonville | 2 |
| 03/06/25 vs Baker County | 2 |
| 02/27/25 @ Fernandina Beach | 2 |
| 02/21/25 vs Charlton County | 4 |
Conner Bayless was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowed only one hit over four innings pitched. What's more, he posted four strikeouts, the most he's had since back in February. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three runs. He has become a key player for Hilliard: the team is 2-1 when he posts at least two runs, but 2-12 otherwise.
In other batting news, Hilliard got a big performance out of Ethan Garland, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 1-for-2. Garland is becoming a predictor of the Red Flashes' success: when he posts at least two stolen bases the team is 2-1 (and 2-12 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Braden Bentley, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
Hilliard was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .429. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as St. John Lutheran only posted a batting average of .261.
Meanwhile, Yulee made easy work of Cedar Creek Christian on Tuesday and carried off a 19-0 win. Considering the Hornets have won eight matches by more than six runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Like Hilliard, Yulee also got a great game from a two-way player: Braden Valenteen. On the mound, Valenteen struck out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Brodie Nichols tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He has been consistent : he hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. At the plate, Valenteen scored a run while going 2-for-3, while Nichols scored three runs while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Valenteen also hit a double, marking his first of the season.
In other batting news, Kenny Schweitzer and Logan Riege did most of the damage at the plate: Schweitzer scored a run while going 2-for-2, while Riege scored two runs while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. Evan Wands was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base.
Yulee's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-10. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.0 runs on average over those games. As for Hilliard, with the victory, they broke their three-game losing streak and moved their record to 4-13.
Hilliard suffered a grim 10-2 defeat to Yulee in their previous matchup back in February of 2024. Will the Red Flashes have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
