Softball Game Preview: Hickory Hawks vs. Nansemond River Warriors

The Hickory Hawks will challenge the Nansemond River Warriors at 5:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Hickory's pitching crew has only allowed 1.3 runs per game this season, so Nansemond River's hitters will have their work cut out for them.

Hickory is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Virginia's top teams: Western Branch, who was ranked 20th at the time (Hickory was ranked ninth). The Hawks fell 9-6 to the Bruins on Thursday. The Hawks' defeat signaled the end of their eight-game winning streak.

Meanwhile, Nansemond River came up short against Isle of Wight Academy on Friday and fell 9-5.

Bailey Hare made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base.

Nansemond River's loss dropped their record down to 9-8. As for Hickory, their defeat was their first in the region, dropping their region record down to 9-1 and their overall record down to 16-2.

Hickory took their victory against Nansemond River in their previous matchup back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 14-1 score. Will the Hawks repeat their success, or do the Warriors have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.