Sarasota is preparing for their first district matchup of the season on Thursday. They will head out on the road to square off against the Riverview Sarasota Rams at 7:00 p.m. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Sarasota comes in on three and Riverview Sarasota on nine.
Sarasota's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Wednesday. They put the hurt on Lakewood Ranch with a sharp 10-0 win. Considering the Sailors have won seven contests by more than eight runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Gemma Mulhollen
| 03/12/25 vs Lakewood Ranch | 0 |
| 03/08/25 vs Palmetto | 1 |
| 03/07/25 vs Auburndale | 2 |
| 03/03/25 vs Inspiration Academy | 1 |
Not much got past Gemma Mulhollen, who gave up just four hits to keep Lakewood Ranch off the board. Mulhollen has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Sommer Speers, who scored two runs and stole Two bases. while going 3-for-4. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games she's played. Another player making a difference was Gianna Williams, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Sarasota was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .444. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Riverview Sarasota got the win against Clearwater on Tuesday by a conclusive 9-0. The Rams are also no stranger to big wins: their blowout was the fourth game they've won by 6+ runs this season.
Allison Cole was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out 17 over seven innings pitched. Cole was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
In other batting news, Sierra Lipton was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4. What's more, she posted two RBI, the most she's had since back in April of 2024. Ella Trandem also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen bases of the season.
Riverview Sarasota's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 9-0. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.0 runs on average over those games. As for Sarasota, their record now sits at 7-3.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Sarasota has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .470. However, it's not like Riverview Sarasota struggles in that department as they've averaged .438. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
