Softball Preview: Williamsport Millionaires vs. Shikellamy Braves
Williamsport is 8-2 against Shikellamy since May of 2015, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Thursday. The Williamsport Millionaires will look to defend their home field against the Shikellamy Braves at 4:30 p.m. Both teams come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Having struggled with four losses in a row, Williamsport finally turned things around against Selinsgrove on Tuesday. Williamsport walked away with an 8-4 win over Selinsgrove.
Ashlyn Robinson made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off nine hits (and only one walk). Robinson has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one walk in seven consecutive pitching appearances. Robinson was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.
In other batting news, Emily McAnelly was incredible, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3. Emma Vollman was another key contributor, scoring a run while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Shikellamy had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 6.3 runs), and they went ahead and made it five on Tuesday. Everything went their way against the Bulldogs as they made off with an 11-5 victory. Shikellamy might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team's won four games by six runs or more this season.
Gweneth Wiest was a standout: she went 4-for-5 with two runs, a triple, and a stolen base. Another player making a difference was Ella Oakes, who scored a run and stole a base while going 3-for-5.
Williamsport's win ended a nine-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 3-9. As for Shikellamy, they are on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last eight matches, which provided a nice bump to their 9-4 record this season.
Shikellamy's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Thursday. Williamsport has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.8 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Shikellamy, though, as they've been averaging only 2.2. Will Williamsport keep running through batters, or will Shikellamy buck the trend?
Williamsport couldn't quite finish off Shikellamy when the teams last played back in April and fell 8-6. Will Williamsport have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
