Softball Game Preview: Middleton Tigers vs. Riverview Sharks

Middleton is 0-3 against Riverview since March of 2019 but things could change on Saturday. Middleton will square off against Riverview at 10:00 a.m. Middleton has given up an average of 15.8 runs per game this season, but Saturday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Middleton is headed into Saturday's matchup looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their 11th straight game dating back to last season on Tuesday. They lost 19-4 to Tampa Bay Tech. That's two games in a row now that the Tigers have lost by exactly 15 runs.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Riverview, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Wednesday. They were the clear victors by an 11-1 margin over Lennard on Thursday. Considering the Sharks have won four contests by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.

Riverview got a great performance from Briyana Smith as she pitched five innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. Smith has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than one walk in eight consecutive appearances.

At the plate, the team relied heavily on Kylie Freeland, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. The team also got some help courtesy of Cecilia Cartwright, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one triple.

Riverview always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .545. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Lennard only posted an OBP of .222.

Riverview's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 6-5. A key ingredient in that success has been their performance when it comes to hits: they averaged an imposing 11.33 hits in those games compared to only five in the others. As for Middleton, their loss dropped their record down to 0-9.

Middleton suffered a grim 17-2 defeat to Riverview in their previous matchup back in April of 2022. Can Middleton avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.