Umatilla is 1-9 against Taylor since April of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Bulldogs will challenge the Wildcats at 6:00 p.m. Umatilla is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.2 runs per game this season.
Umatilla took a loss when they played away from home two weeks ago, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed last Thursday. They never let Crescent City get on the board and left with a 21-0 victory. The Bulldogs haven't had any issues with the Raiders recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive win against them.
Mittie O'Brien made a splash no matter where she played. She struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. O'Brien was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with three runs and one RBI.
Brook Thomas
| 04/17/25 vs Crescent City | 3 |
| 03/06/25 vs Taylor | 2 |
| 04/10/25 vs Lake Weir | 1 |
| 04/01/25 vs South Lake | 1 |
| 03/28/25 vs Lake Minneola | 1 |
In other batting news, Brook Thomas and Aliyah Duncan did most of the damage at the plate: Thomas went a perfect 2-for-2 with three runs, one stolen base, and one RBI, while Duncan went a perfect 2-for-2 with three runs and one RBI. Those three runs gave Thomas a new career-high. Hannah Sayre was another key player, getting on base in all three of her plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.
Umatilla always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .821. They are 3-1 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Taylor won against Flagler Palm Coast last Thursday with seven runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Monday. The Wildcats came out on top against Seabreeze by a score of 7-2. The victory was nothing new for the Wildcats as they're now sitting on three straight.
Savannah Pearson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on five hits and racked up eight Ks.
At the plate, Taylor got a massive performance out of Taylor Lane, who went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Amya Ramos, who went 1-for-4 with one home run and three RBI.
Taylor's win bumped their record up to 14-9. As for Umatilla, their victory bumped their record up to 8-14.
Tuesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Umatilla hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .336. However, it's not like Taylor struggles in that department as they've averaged .384. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Umatilla came up short against Taylor when the teams last played back in March, falling 10-6. Can the Bulldogs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
