The Matanzas Pirates will challenge the Ponte Vedra Sharks at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Matanzas is coming into the contest hot, having won their last 12 games.
Matanzas is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They blew past Englewood 16-0. The result was nothing new for the Pirates, who have now won ten matches by six runs or more so far this season.
LEAH STEVENS looked comfortable as she struck out nine batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one earned run any time she's pitched this season.
CAMRYN WILLIAMS
| 04/29/25 vs Englewood | 4 |
| 04/03/25 @ Okeechobee | 1 |
| 03/04/25 @ St. Augustine | 1 |
| 02/20/25 @ New Smyrna Beach | 1 |
At the plate, CAMRYN WILLIAMS was a standout: she went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was ALONDRA VINCENTY, who went 1-for-2 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple.
Matanzas always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .783. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Ponte Vedra, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Wednesday. They skirted past Beachside 8-7. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Sharks as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Aoife Weaver spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and three unearned) runs on seven hits.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Emma Shin, who went 1-for-4 with one home run and two runs. That home run marked the first that she has launched this season. Nadia Campbell was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.
Matanzas pushed their record up to 20-1 with the victory, which was their eighth straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average over those games. As for Ponte Vedra, their record is now 14-9.
Ponte Vedra's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Thursday. Matanzas has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 11.8 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Ponte Vedra, though, as they've been averaging only 3.6 strikeouts. Will Matanzas keep running through batters, or will the Sharks buck the trend?
Matanzas came out on top in a nail-biter against Ponte Vedra in their previous meeting back in February of 2018, sneaking past 3-2. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Pirates since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
