Softball Preview: Athens Warriors vs. New Berlin/Franklin/Waverly Vipers
The Athens Warriors will look to defend their home field on Wednesday against the New Berlin/Franklin/Waverly Vipers at 4:30 p.m. Both teams come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Having struggled with three defeats in a row, Athens finally turned things around against Hartsburg-Emden on Monday. Athens put the hurt on Hartsburg-Emden with a sharp 12-2 win. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for Athens considering their one-run performance the game before.
Layken Buch made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out nine batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off two hits. Buch has been consistent recently: she hasn't pitched less than five innings in six consecutive pitching appearances. Buch was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a home run, four RBI, and two runs.
In other batting news, Kenzie Szoke was incredible, scoring two runs while going 3-for-3. Preslie Buckmaster was another key contributor, going 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for New Berlin/Franklin/Waverly, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Tuesday. They had just enough and edged Beardstown out 6-5.
Avery Blackorby spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and three unearned) runs on seven hits.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Ashlee Brown, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4. Another player making a difference was Marissa Heironimus, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Athens' victory bumped their record up to 10-12. As for New Berlin/Franklin/Waverly, their win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 5-15.
Athens beat New Berlin/Franklin/Waverly 7-3 in their previous matchup back in May of 2023. Will Athens repeat their success, or does New Berlin/Franklin/Waverly have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
