Softball Game Preview: West End Patriots vs. Sand Rock Wildcats

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Previous Games

02/25/25 - Home	14-10 W
05/09/24 - Home	10-2 W
04/05/24 - Neutral	7-6 W
03/21/24 - Away	11-0 W
02/22/24 - Home	15-7 W
+ 5 more games

West End and Sand Rock are an even 5-5 against one another since April of 2021, but likely not for long. The Patriots will host the Wildcats at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (West End has five straight wins, Sand Rock has five straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.

Sand Rock's hitters are going to have their work cut out for them on Thursday: West End hadn't allowed a single run the last three times they've hit the field. The Patriots' pitcher stepped up to hand Susan Moore a 16-0 shutout on Tuesday. The Patriots might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 11 matches by six runs or more this season.

DaLeigha Wheeler was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 1-for-2. Those two stolen bases gave her a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of McKinna Garab, who scored a run while going 2-for-3.

West End hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least five batters in six consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, Sand Rock fell victim to Pleasant Valley and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They lost 19-0 to the Raiders.

West End pushed their record up to 17-6 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.5 runs over those games. As for Sand Rock, their defeat dropped their record down to 8-18.

West End was able to grind out a solid victory over Sand Rock in their previous meeting back in February, winning 14-10. Do the Patriots have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Wildcats turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.