Softball Game Preview: Sneads Pirates vs. Chiles Timberwolves

The Sneads Pirates will head out on the road to challenge the Chiles Timberwolves at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. The teams are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Sneads has struggled recently with six defeats in a row, while Chiles will arrive with five straight wins.

Friday just wasn't the day for Sneads' offense. They came up short against Altha on Friday, falling 20-0.

Chiles hadn't beaten Franklin County on the road since March 25, 2022 but that history sure didn't bother them last Friday. The Timberwolves blew past the Seahawks 9-3. The result was nothing new for the Timberwolves, who have now won 11 matchups by six runs or more so far this season.

Anna Kate Barber spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on nine hits and racked up six Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in six consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Mia Hemenway, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and one triple. She is on a roll when it comes to home runs, as she's now launched at least one in each of the last three games she's played. Another player making a difference was Adelyn Matthews, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-4.

Chiles pushed their record up to 12-2 with the victory, which was their fourth straight on the road. The team dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 8.2 runs. As for Sneads, their loss dropped their record down to 2-11.

Sneads might still be hurting after the 34-0 defeat they got from Chiles in their previous meeting back in February. Can the Pirates avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.