Nansemond River has won three straight games at home, while Western Branch has won three straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Thursday. The Warriors will welcome the Bruins at 5:45 p.m. Nansemond River is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.1 runs per game this season.
Nansemond River fell victim to Hickory and their airtight pitching crew on Wednesday. They came up short against the Hawks, falling 10-0. The game snapped a strange streak: the last six times these teams have met, it?s been the away team that?s taken home the W.
Western Branch came out on top against York on Monday thanks in part to the team's impressive five-run second inning. The Bruins took their match against the Falcons 8-5. That's two games straight that the Bruins have won by exactly three runs.
Haylee Bandura looked comfortable as she struck out six batters over three innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Anna Kerns was excellent, going 1-for-2 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI. That triple marked the first that she has hit this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Kaileigh Taylor, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and one triple.
Western Branch kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in five consecutive games.
Western Branch is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 14-3 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.9 runs on average over those games. As for Nansemond River, their loss dropped their record down to 9-9.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Nansemond River hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .317. However, it's not like Western Branch struggles in that department as they've averaged .401. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Nansemond River might still be hurting after the 14-0 defeat they got from Western Branch in their previous meeting back in March. Will the Warriors have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
