Palatka hasn't had much luck against Santa Fe recently, but that could start to change on Friday. Palatka will welcome Santa Fe at 7:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Having struggled with four defeats in a row, Palatka turned things around against North Marion on Thursday. They never let the Colts get on the board and left with an 18-0 victory. With that win, the Panthers brought their scoring average up to 6.8 runs per game.
Lilyann Smith
| 03/27/25 @ North Marion | 3 |
| 03/13/25 @ Matanzas | 2 |
| 03/21/25 @ Lee-Scott Academy | 1 |
| 02/20/25 vs Flagler Palm Coast | 1 |
| 02/18/25 @ Orange Park | 1 |
Lilyann Smith was a standout: she went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Those three hits gave her a new career-high. Whitney Seebacher was another key player, scoring four runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
Palatka was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .455. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Santa Fe entered their tilt with Suwannee on Tuesday with five consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with six. They were the clear victors by a 16-1 margin over the Bulldogs. The Raiders' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Ryleigh Davis looked comfortable as she kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Santa Fe got a massive performance out of J'Lyn Guyden, who went 3-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and one triple. Another player making a difference was Madolyn Jablonski, who went 2-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and one double.
Santa Fe's victory was their 17th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 11-1. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Palatka, their victory bumped their record up to 6-7.
Friday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Palatka hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .331. However, it's not like Santa Fe struggles in that department as they've averaged .376. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Palatka suffered a grim 14-0 defeat to Santa Fe in their previous meeting back in March of 2024. Will Palatka have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
