The Island Coast Gators will face off against the Riverview Sarasota Rams at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Island Coast is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.3 runs per game this season.
On Monday, Island Coast needed a bit of extra time to put away Barron Collier. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 4-3 win over the Cougars. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Gators have posted since March 4th.
Grady Schwiezer
| 04/07/25 vs Barron Collier | 7 |
| 04/04/25 vs North Fort Myers | 3 |
| 03/28/25 @ Port Charlotte | 4 |
| 03/25/25 vs Gulf Coast | 2 |
| 03/18/25 @ Hardee | 6 |
| + 3 more games |
Grady Schwiezer tossed a big game, striking out seven batters over six innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits (and only one walk). That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in February.
At the plate, Island Coast saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Logan Hawkins, who scored a run while going 2-for-3.
Venice typically has all the answers at home, but on Friday Riverview Sarasota proved too difficult a challenge. They walked away with a 4-1 win over the Indians. The game was the first time the Rams have beaten the Indians on their field since May 3, 2022.
Riverview Sarasota also got a great performance from Morgan Peggs as he tossed six innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. Peggs has become a key player for the Rams: the team is 3-1 when he allows at most one earned run, but 2-15 otherwise.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Alastair Simonson, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-2. He has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times he's played.
Island Coast pushed their record up to 17-6 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for Riverview Sarasota, their victory bumped their record up to 5-16.
Island Coast's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's matchup. The Gators have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.5 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Riverview Sarasota, though, as they've been averaging only 1.3 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Island Coast continue to outrun the ball?
Island Coast came up short against Riverview Sarasota in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, falling 6-3. Will the Gators have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
