Softball Game Preview: Norwich Free Academy Wildcats vs. North Branford Thunderbirds

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Previous 3 Games

05/11/24 - Home	4-1 W
04/28/23 - Away	9-0 W
05/21/15 - Home	11-0 W

Norwich Free Academy has gone a perfect 3-0 against North Branford recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Wildcats will challenge the Thunderbirds at 6:00 p.m. Norwich Free Academy is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last nine games.

Norwich Free Academy came out on top against Stonington on Monday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run fourth inning. The Wildcats put the hurt on the Bears with a sharp 7-0 victory. The result was nothing new for the Wildcats, who have now won eight games by six runs or more so far this season.

The result came thanks to Olivia Bourdon's shutout, as she gave up just a hit and racked up nine Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up a single earned run in four consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Sophie Miner was incredible, going 1-for-3 with three stolen bases and three runs. She continues to improve, besting her previous run total in each of the last three games she's played. Aubrey Martin was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one double.

Meanwhile, North Branford has relied on a stalwart pitchers averaging 1.6 runs allowed per game, but that average took a hit on Tuesday. They lost 11-1 to Masuk. Having soared to a lofty 11 runs in the game before, the Thunderbirds couldn't push the score so high this time.

Norwich Free Academy's win was their sixth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 12-2. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.0 runs over those games. As for North Branford, their loss was their first of the season and makes their record 14-1.

Norwich Free Academy beat North Branford 4-1 when the teams last played back in May of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Wildcats since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.