Beachside hasn't had much luck against Matanzas recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Barracudas will welcome the Pirates at 6:00 p.m. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Beachside comes in on three and Matanzas on nine.
On Wednesday, Beachside got the win against Orange Park by a conclusive 14-4. Considering the Barracudas have won nine contests by more than six runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Vita Lagattolla was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she tossed seven innings while giving up four earned runs off six hits. What's more, she posted five strikeouts, the most she's had since back in February. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Tatum Pocol, who went 4-for-5 with two runs, two doubles, and one triple. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April of 2024. Madden Lutze was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-5.
Beachside kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 16 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Matanzas sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 3-1 win over Atlantic Coast on Wednesday.
Matanzas also got a great performance from LEAH STEVENS as she kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 15 over six innings pitched. STEVENS has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one earned run any time she's pitched this season.
At the plate, Matanzas' victory was truly a team effort as four different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was RUBY FOGEL, who scored a run while going 1-for-2.
Matanzas' win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 17-1. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.7 runs on average over those games. As for Beachside, their win bumped their record up to 14-6.
Both Beachside and Matanzas just can't seem to miss. The Barracudas have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9 hits per game. However, it's not like Matanzas struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 2.9 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Beachside might still be hurting after the 7-1 defeat they got from Matanzas when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Barracudas avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
