Softball Preview: Bandys Trojans vs. Bunker Hill Bears
Bandys is on a five-game streak of home wins (dating back to last season), while Bunker Hill is on a four-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Bandys Trojans will take on the Bunker Hill Bears at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average, (Bandys: 3.5, Bunker Hill: 2.6) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Last Thursday, Bandys was able to grind out a solid win over West Lincoln, taking the game 8-5.
Paige Barrymore was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. Caroline Drum was another key contributor, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and a stolen base.
Meanwhile, Bunker Hill stacked a third blowout win onto their ever-increasing hoard last Thursday. They put the hurt on Lincolnton with a sharp 10-1 victory. With that win, Bunker Hill brought their scoring average up to 6.4 runs per game.
Serena Thurman made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 15 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off five hits (and only one walk). Thurman has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in nine consecutive pitching appearances. Thurman was also solid in the batter's box, scoring three runs while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Ivy Bowman, who went 2-for-2 with three runs, a triple, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Gracie Setzer, who went 2-for-4 with four RBI and a double.
Bandys' victory bumped their record up to 8-3. As for Bunker Hill, their win bumped their record up to 9-1.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Monday as both teams have some strikeout artists on the roster. Bandys has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 11.3 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Bunker Hill struggles in that department as they've been averaging 11.8. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Everything went Bandys' way against Bunker Hill in their previous meeting back in May of 2023 as Bandys made off with a 15-0 victory. Does Bandys have another victory up their sleeve, or will Bunker Hill turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
