The Weeki Wachee Hornets will face off against the Central Bears at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The two teams are strolling into their matchups after big wins in their previous games.
Weeki Wachee took a loss when they played away from home on Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They never let Fivay get on the board and left with a 15-0 victory. The high-scoring performance was a welcome turnaround for the Hornets' hitters, who had struggled in the games prior.
Jacob Barnum
| 04/10/25 vs Fivay | 2 |
| 03/07/25 @ Central | 0 |
| 02/25/25 vs Nature Coast Tech | 1 |
| 04/23/24 vs Springstead | 1 |
| 03/19/24 vs Land O' Lakes | 2 |
Jacob Barnum and Christian Zahora made a big impact no matter where they played. Throwing, Barnum pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Zahora pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs off one hit. What's more, Barnum posted two strikeouts, the most he's had since back in March of 2024. At bat, Barnum scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3, while Zahora scored a run while going 2-for-2. That stolen base marked the first that Barnum snagged this season.
In other batting news, Jayden Allen was incredible, going a perfect 1-for-1 with one home run and four RBI. That home run was his first of the season. The team also got some help courtesy of Jack Strong, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
Weeki Wachee always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .586. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, it can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but Central had no problem doing just that on Tuesday. They put the hurt on the Falcons with a sharp 20-1 win. The Bears haven't had any issues with the Falcons recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive victory against them.
Jacob Lugo made a splash while hitting and pitching. He struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits (and not a single walk). He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs while going 2-for-3. He is becoming a predictor of Central's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 10-12 when he doesn't).
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Jayden Warren, who went 3-for-4 with six RBI, one triple, and one stolen base. He has become a key player for Central: the team is undefeated when he posts at least three hits, but 10-12 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Jordan Lendo, who scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances.
Weeki Wachee's win bumped their record up to 14-11. As for Central, they now have a winning record of 13-12.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Weeki Wachee has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.3 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Central struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
