Avon Park hasn't had much luck against DeSoto County recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Red Devils will be playing in front of their home fans against the Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Avon Park barely beat Frostproof the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Red Devils were the clear victors by a 13-4 margin over the Bulldogs on Monday. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Red Devils as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Paisley Macias
| 04/14/25 @ Frostproof | 11 |
| 04/04/25 vs Mulberry | 4 |
| 04/03/25 vs Lakeland | 1 |
| 03/25/25 @ LaBelle | 6 |
| 03/21/25 @ Sebring | 3 |
| + 7 more games |
Paisley Macias made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She struck out 11 batters over seven innings while giving up four earned runs off seven hits. That's the most strikeouts she has posted since back in February. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in all five of her plate appearances with one triple and one RBI.
In other batting news, Avon Park got a massive performance out of Marianna Salinas, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-4. What's more, Salinas posted three RBI, the most she's had since back in April of 2024. Skylar Hicks was another key player, scoring a run and stealing three bases while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.
Meanwhile, DeSoto County waltzed into their matchup on Monday with eight straight wins... but they left with nine. They blew past the Bruins 25-1. The Bulldogs' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Caleigh Jo Duke looked comfortable as she struck out six batters over three innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in seven consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Emery Skinner was a standout: she went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, four runs, and two stolen bases. 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. The team also got some help courtesy of Ellie Whidden, who scored four runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-3.
DeSoto County hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in 12 consecutive contests.
DeSoto County's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-5. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.7 runs on average over those games. As for Avon Park, they now have a winning record of 9-8.
Avon Park was able to grind out a solid victory over DeSoto County in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, winning 9-4. Do the Red Devils have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bulldogs turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
