Softball Game Preview: Avery County Vikings vs. Hampton Bulldogs

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Previous Games

03/27/26 - Away	21-20 W
03/18/24 - Away	13-10 W
04/01/23 - Neutral	16-4 W
04/11/22 - Away	19-12 W
04/04/22 - Home	14-18 L
+ 4 more games

Avery County is 8-1 against Hampton since April of 2016 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Vikings will head out on the road to face off against the Bulldogs at 5:30 p.m. Hampton took a loss in their last game and will be looking to turn the tables on Avery County, who comes in off a win.

Avery County took a nine-run loss the last time they faced off against Polk County, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Vikings had just enough and edged out the Wolverines 9-8 on Tuesday. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Vikings as it put an end to their five-game losing streak.

Meanwhile, Hampton scored the most runs they've had this season on Tuesday, but it wasn't enough. They took a 26-22 hit to the loss column at the hands of University School. Bulldogs fans who chose to attend the game sure picked the wrong one: it was the first time the team has lost against the Buccaneers since Tuesday.

Hadley Vines and Mallory Lamb stepped up to the plate in a big way. Vines went 4-for-5 with four runs, five RBI, and two doubles, while Lamb went 4-for-5 with four runs, two stolen bases, and one triple. That triple marked the first that Lamb has hit this season. Hannah Smith was another key player, going 3-for-5 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs.

Hampton dropped their record down to 1-15 with the defeat, which was their eighth straight at home. Those home losses can't be blamed on the team's hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.5 runs over those games. As for Avery County, their victory was their first in the conference, bumping their conference record up to 1-8 and their overall record up to 2-14.

Avery County skirted past Hampton 21-20 when the teams last played back in March. Will the Vikings repeat their success, or do the Bulldogs have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.