Umatilla is 1-9 against Eustis since March of 2016 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Umatilla Bulldogs will be playing in front of their home fans against the Eustis Panthers at 7:00 p.m. Both teams come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Last Friday, Umatilla sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 3-2 victory over Leesburg. The win was just what Umatilla needed coming off of a 10-2 defeat in their prior contest.
Logan Bowling tossed a big game, striking out seven batters over 6.2 innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits.
At the plate, Kannon Steinke was incredible, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with two stolen bases, a double, and an RBI. Keegan St.Amant was another key contributor, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases and an RBI.
Meanwhile, Eustis made easy work of Seabreeze on Tuesday and carried off a 9-2 victory. That seven run margin sets a new team best for Eustis this season.
Sean Griffin spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned runs on three hits and racked up seven Ks. It was the first time this season that he pitched five or more innings.
On the hitting side, Couper Gatch was incredible, going 1-for-3 with a home run, three RBI, and two runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Julien Radcliffe, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Umatilla's win bumped their record up to 11-3. As for Eustis, their victory bumped their record up to 9-7.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both teams have some strikeout artists on the roster. Umatilla has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.2 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Eustis struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.1. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Umatilla skirted past Eustis 6-5 when the teams last played back in April of 2023. Does Umatilla have another victory up their sleeve, or will Eustis turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
