Softball Recap: Hickory's Loss Ends Five-Game Winning Streak on the Road

Hickory dropped their record down to 16-2 on Thursday, which also ended the team's five-game streak of wins on the road. They took a 9-6 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Western Branch Bruins. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last five times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.

As for Western Branch, they are on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 13-3 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.5 runs over those games.

For Western Branch's part, Haylee Bandura spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned (and one unearned) runs on ten hits. Bandura has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Western Branch let Ashley Matthews and Lilly Creef run wild. Matthews went 3-for-4 with three runs, two doubles, and one stolen base, while Creef went 2-for-3 with one home run and four RBI. That's the most RBI Creef has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Marissa Bernheimer, who went 1-for-4 with one home run.

Hickory and Western Branch should be looking forward to their upcoming games as both have a sizable advantage in the MaxPreps Virginia Rankings. The Hawks (ranked fifth) will meet Nansemond River (ranked 129th) at 5:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Western Branch will square off against York at 6:00 p.m. on Monday with a big rank advantage (25 vs. 148).