Estero hasn't had much luck against North Fort Myers recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Estero Wildcats will head out on the road to take on the North Fort Myers Red Knights at 7:00 p.m. The two teams are strolling into their matchups after big wins in their previous games.
Estero barely beat Palmetto Ridge the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. Estero blew past Palmetto Ridge 16-6 on Wednesday. Considering the Wildcats have won three contests by more than nine runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Annika Jarvi spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and three unearned) runs on ten hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
Dena Peregrin
| 02/26/25 vs Palmetto Ridge | 4 |
| 02/18/25 vs Ida Baker | 3 |
| 04/16/24 vs Gulf Coast | 3 |
| 04/10/24 vs Lely | 3 |
| 04/05/24 @ Port Charlotte | 3 |
At the plate, Ava Weinbaum and Dena Peregrin did most of the damage at the plate: Weinbaum scored four runs and stole three bases while going 3-for-4, while Peregrin went 3-for-4 with three runs, four RBI, and one double. The dominant performance gave Peregrin a new career-high in RBI. Madelyn Millette also deserves some recognition as she scored her first run of the season.
Estero always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .568. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Palmetto Ridge only posted an OBP of .387.
Meanwhile, North Fort Myers put another one in the bag on Tuesday to keep their perfect season alive. They were the clear victor by an 8-2 margin over North Port. The Red Knights are also no stranger to big wins: their blowout was the fourth game they've won by 6+ runs this season.
Kaliyah Williams made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 13 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 6.2 strikeouts per game. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and one double.
In other batting news, Abigail Hynes was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run. Another player making a difference was Audrie Florenzano, who scored two runs while going 2-for-4.
Estero now has a winning record of 3-2. As for North Fort Myers, their win was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 4-0.
Thursday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Estero has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .469. However, it's not like North Fort Myers struggles in that department as they've averaged .600. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Estero might still be hurting after the 16-1 defeat they got from North Fort Myers in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can Estero avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
