Softball Game Preview: Auburn Trojans vs. Staunton Bulldogs

The Auburn Trojans will be defending their home field for the first time this season when they go up against the Staunton Bulldogs at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams are strolling into their matchups after big wins in their previous games.

Auburn is coming home in high spirits after they had to open their season on the road against North Mac. Auburn put the hurt on North Mac with a sharp 14-3 win on Tuesday.

Meena Taylor was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out 11 batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off seven hits. What's more, she gave up only two walks, the fewest she's had since back in March of 2024. She was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 3-for-4. The dominant performance also gave her a new career-high in doubles (two).

In other batting news, Taylor Patterson was a standout: she scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4. Addison Wheatley was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.

Auburn always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .528. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as North Mac only posted an OBP of .346.

Meanwhile, while Staunton put up plenty of runs on Tuesday, the same can't be said for Father McGivney Catholic. Staunton was the clear victors by an 11-0 margin over Father McGivney Catholic. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Bulldogs.

The result came thanks to Gianna Bianco's shutout, as she gave up just two hits and racked up seven Ks.

On the hitting side, Staunton got a massive performance out of Lilly Bandy, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-3. Another player making a difference was Grace Burris, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4.

Auburn beat Staunton 7-2 in their previous matchup back in March of 2023. Will Auburn repeat their success, or does Staunton have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.