Softball Game Preview: Randolph Rams vs. Morris Knolls Golden Eagles

Randolph hasn't had much luck against Morris Knolls recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Rams will host the Golden Eagles at 4:00 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Randolph 3.6, Morris Knolls 2.9) so any runs scored will be well earned.

Randolph is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of New Jersey's top teams: Pope John XXIII, who was ranked 21st at the time (Randolph was ranked 25th). The Rams fell just short of Pope John XXIII by a score of 2-1 on Tuesday. The Rams' loss continues a trend for the squad, making it three in a row.

Breanna Colburn was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: she struck out eight batters over six innings while giving up just two earned runs off six hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season.

At the plate, Randolph saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Cassidy Smith, who went 2-for-3 with one double. Elisabeth Latch also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.

Meanwhile, Morris Knolls came tearing into Wednesday's match with ten straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 4.7 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 3-1 win over the Crusaders.

Morris Knolls pushed their record up to 12-3 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.5 runs on average over those games. As for Randolph, their defeat dropped their record down to 9-5.

Randolph came out on top in a nail-biter against Morris Knolls in their previous matchup back in April, sneaking past 4-2. Will the Rams repeat their success, or do the Golden Eagles have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.