Middleton, Fla. — The Villages High School baseball and softball teams opened their respective diamonds with a pair of home openers Thursday in Middleton.


VHS Baseball 17, Crystal River 7 (6 innings)
The Buffalo baseball team enjoyed a 17-7 victory in six innings over visiting Crystal River, as both Marcello Cortale and Anthony Kradzinski drove in five runs apiece to lead the way offensively.

A total of eight different players scored a run for VHS in the victory.

Tommy Jacques also looked sharp on the mound in the season-opening win, striking out 11 and not allowing a hit over four innings of work.

VHS (1-0) will return to action at 7 p.m. Tuesday night against Forest in Ocala.


Game 1: Nature Coast 4, VHS Softball 3 (8 innings)
Game 2: South Sumter 4, VHS Softball 3
The Buffalo softball team ended up on the wrong end of a pair of 4-3 decisions, falling to both Nature Coast and South Sumter in a doubleheader.

Emily Thompson pitched nearly the entirety of both contests, recording 23 strikeouts over 14.2 innings pitched in the two games.

Lexy Sanchez put together a solid performance at the plate in a losing effort, going 4-for-7 with three stolen bases and two runs scored during the doubleheader.

VHS (0-3) will return to the diamond with another doubleheader Saturday, when it hosts East Bay at 1:30 p.m. and Trinity Catholic at 6:30 p.m.



Cody Hills can be reached for questions or comment at cody.hills@tvcs.org or by calling (352) 259-6890.