Hawthorne is 1-6 against Williston since March of 2016 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Hornets will challenge the Mighty Red Devils at 7:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Tuesday, Hawthorne got the win against Hamilton County by a conclusive 8-2. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Hornets.
Caleb Jacobs
| 02/11/26 @ Eastside | 5 |
| 03/13/26 @ Cedar Key | 4 |
| 02/16/26 vs Hamilton County | 4 |
| 04/06/26 vs Crescent City | 3 |
| 03/27/26 vs Interlachen | 3 |
| + 8 more games |
Caleb Jacobs was excellent, going 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. He is becoming a predictor of Hawthorne's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 10-1 (and 1-7 when he doesn't). Hunter Thomas was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and one double.
Meanwhile, Williston never let their opponents score on Thursday. Everything went their way against Lake Weir as they made off with an 11-0 win. That's two games straight that the Mighty Red Devils have won by exactly 11 runs.
Aiden Phillips was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out six over six innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in February. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with one stolen base and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Will Conquest, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with three runs and one stolen base. Those three runs gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Colby Jansen, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Williston always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .564. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive contests.
Hawthorne's record now sits at 11-8. As for Williston, their record is now 13-9.
Friday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Hawthorne has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .473. However, it's not like Williston struggles in that department as they've averaged .443. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hawthorne was able to grind out a solid victory over Williston in their previous meeting back in March, winning 7-4. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Hornets since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
