The Middleburg Broncos will take on the Nease Panthers at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Middleburg is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.5 runs per game this season.
Middleburg took a loss when they played away from home on Thursday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They were the clear victors by a 12-1 margin over Mandarin. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Broncos considering their one-run performance the contest before.
Lily Bennett
| 04/04/25 vs Mandarin | 11 |
| 04/03/25 @ Wakulla | 5 |
| 03/28/25 @ Baker County | 6 |
| 03/25/25 vs Creekside | 6 |
| 03/13/25 vs Yulee | 11 |
| + 7 more games |
Lily Bennett was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out 11 batters over 4.1 innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits (and not a single walk). With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 5.3 strikeouts per game. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, Middleburg got a massive performance out of Kerra Clarida, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-2. Caylee Johnson was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI.
Middleburg always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .538. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Mandarin only posted an OBP of .111.
Meanwhile, Nease suffered their biggest defeat since May 1, 2024 on Friday. They came up short against Sandalwood, falling 16-1. The Panthers have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Nease saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Mia Buitrago, who went 1-for-2 with one RBI.
Middleburg is on a roll lately: they've won nine of their last 12 matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-6 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.2 runs on average over those games. As for Nease, their loss dropped their record down to 6-9.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Middleburg has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Nease struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.5 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Middleburg beat Nease 5-2 in their previous meeting back in February of 2024. Do the Broncos have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Panthers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
