The Western Branch Bruins will venture away from home to challenge the Great Bridge Wildcats at 5:45 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams are strolling into their contests after big wins in their previous games.
Western Branch barely beat Lakeland the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Bruins were the clear victors by an 8-2 margin over the Cavaliers on Tuesday. The victory was some much needed relief for the Bruins as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.
Ian Taylor spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned runs on three hits and racked up nine Ks.
On the hitting side, Logan Adams was incredible, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with two runs, one triple, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Jackson Walter, who went 1-for-3 with two runs and one double.
Great Bridge came out on top against Nansemond River on Tuesday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run sixth inning. The Wildcats were the clear victors by a 7-1 margin over the Warriors. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Wildcats have posted against the Warriors since March 21, 2022.
Dayton House looked comfortable as he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits over four innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Casey Cuddyer, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two doubles. Those two doubles gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Andrew Griffin, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases and one run.
Great Bridge is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last eight games. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-3 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.8 runs over those games. As for Western Branch, their record now sits at 7-3.
Everything went Western Branch's way against Great Bridge in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, as Western Branch made off with a 6-0 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bruins since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
