Juniata Valley hasn't had much luck against West Branch recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Hornets will welcome the Warriors at 4:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Juniata Valley's pitching crew heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Monday. They blew past Williamsburg 10-0. The victory continues a trend for the Hornets in their matchups with the Blue Pirates: they've now won eight in a row.
Braelyn Hall
| 04/14/25 vs Williamsburg | 10 |
| 04/03/25 vs Moshannon Valley | 5 |
| 03/31/25 vs Bishop Guilfoyle | 6 |
| 03/24/25 vs Glendale | 14 |
| 03/20/25 vs Curwensville | 9 |
| 03/13/25 vs Mifflin County | 7 |
Braelyn Hall was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out ten over 4.1 innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in six consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing three bases while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Kassidy Watson was incredible, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3. Klohie Brown was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
Juniata Valley always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .533. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, West Branch came tearing into Monday's matchup with five straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 9.2 runs), and they left with even more momentum. Everything went their way against the Black Knights/Damsels as they made off with a 7-0 win. Give the Warriors' pitching crew some credit: that's the team's fourth straight shutout.
Like Juniata Valley, West Branch also got a great game from a two-way player: Makena Moore. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out 15 over seven innings pitched. Moore was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lindsey Bainey, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. That home run was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Layla Thompson, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with one home run and two runs.
West Branch's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 7-1. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.0 runs over those games. As for Juniata Valley, their victory bumped their record up to 5-1-1.
Juniata Valley's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's contest. The Hornets have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.4 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for West Branch, though, as they've been averaging only 1.4 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Juniata Valley continue to outrun the ball?
Juniata Valley came up short against West Branch in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, falling 4-0. Will the Hornets have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
