Softball Game Preview: Ridley Raiders vs. Interboro Buccaneers

The Ridley Raiders will venture away from home to challenge the Interboro Buccaneers at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The teams are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Ridley has struggled recently with three defeats in a row, while Interboro will arrive with six straight victories.

Ridley fought the good fight in their extra-innings game against Marple Newtown on Wednesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Fightin' Tigers by a score of 4-3.

Meanwhile, Interboro got the win against Chichester on Thursday by a conclusive 14-2. The result was nothing new for the Buccaneers, who have now won seven matchups by eight runs or more so far this season.

Jules Bergen made a splash no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with four RBI, one stolen base, and one run. That stolen base was her first of the season.

In other batting news, Vannesa Harrity was a standout: she went 2-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Mare Nagle, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and one triple.

Interboro kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in six consecutive contests.

Interboro pushed their record up to 10-2 with the win, which was their third straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.0 runs over those games. As for Ridley, their loss dropped their record down to 3-5.

Ridley couldn't quite finish off Interboro when the teams last played back in May of 2024 and fell 6-4. Can the Raiders avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.