Western Branch is 1-9 against Hickory since March of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Bruins will host the Hawks at 5:45 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Western Branch 2.6, Hickory 0.9) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Western Branch was handed a heart-breaking two-run loss in their last contest, but they sure didn't let that happen against King's Fork on Tuesday. The Bruins blew past the Bulldogs 15-1. The result was nothing new for the Bruins, who have now won ten matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
Western Branch got a great performance from Ava Giacometti as she struck out ten batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit (and only one walk). Giacometti has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Marissa Bernheimer and Kaileigh Taylor did most of the damage at the plate: Bernheimer got on base in all four of her plate appearances with four RBI, two runs, and one double, while Taylor went a perfect 2-for-2 with three stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI. That's the most hits Taylor has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Maddie Lemasters, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Western Branch was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .500. They are a perfect 11-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Hickory came tearing into Wednesday's game with seven straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 9.7 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They walked away with a 7-3 victory over the Grizzlies.
Hickory's win was their 12th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 16-1. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.8 runs on average over those games. As for Western Branch, their win bumped their record up to 12-3.
Western Branch came up short against Hickory in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, falling 7-2. Will the Bruins have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
