vs
| 02/24/23 - Away | 2-8 L |
| 04/14/21 - Away | 1-11 L |
| 04/02/19 - Home | 11-2 W |
| 03/13/19 - Away | 3-2 W |
| 03/22/18 - Away | 11-7 W |
| + 3 more games |
Cocoa Beach and Melbourne Central Catholic are an even 4-4 against one another since February of 2016, but likely not for long. The Minutemen will face off against the Hustlers at 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday. Cocoa Beach is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 10 runs per game this season.
Cocoa Beach is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Monday. They walked away with a 7-2 win over Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy. The Minutemen haven't had any issues with the Tigers recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive victory against them.
Cocoa Beach's win was truly a team effort as four different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Zoe Vella, who went 1-for-3 with one run and one double. Hailee Dennis was another, earning two runs and two stolen bases.
Cocoa Beach hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in six consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Melbourne Central Catholic entered their tilt with Okeechobee on Tuesday with 11 consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with 12. They were the clear victors by an 11-1 margin over the Brahmans. The Hustlers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won ten matches by six runs or more this season.
Madelynn Prayto made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching five innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than one walk in 13 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Shakiya Harris was incredible, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, three RBI, and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Madelyn Oesterle, who went 2-for-3 with three runs and one stolen base.
Melbourne Central Catholic's victory was their 12th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 17-3. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.2 runs over those games. As for Cocoa Beach, their record now sits at 13-10.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Cocoa Beach has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .433. However, it's not like Melbourne Central Catholic struggles in that department as they've averaged .450. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Cocoa Beach suffered a grim 8-2 defeat to Melbourne Central Catholic in their previous meeting back in February of 2023. Can the Minutemen avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
