The Northampton Yellowjackets will take on the Broadwater Academy Vikings at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The squads are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Northampton has struggled recently with four losses in a row, while Broadwater Academy will arrive with three straight wins.
Northampton is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They lost 36-11 to Bruton on Thursday.
Nitrice Lewis stepped up to lead a balanced group of hitters: she scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-2. Another player making a difference was Ortavia Rogers, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with three RBI and one triple.
Meanwhile, Broadwater Academy got themselves on the board against Tidewater Academy on Thursday, but Tidewater Academy never followed suit. They were the clear victors by a 10-0 margin over the Warriors. Considering the Vikings have won five contests by more than nine runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Ramsey Revelle made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out nine over five innings pitched. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than one walk any time she's pitched this season. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one home run and two runs.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kacey Ford, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, two stolen bases, and two runs. That home run marked the first that she launched this season. Adrianna Holloway was another key player, going 1-for-4 with one home run and two RBI.
Broadwater Academy was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .385. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .304 or higher in three consecutive matches.
Broadwater Academy pushed their record up to 6-1 with the victory, which was their fifth straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.4 runs over those games. As for Northampton, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-4.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Northampton has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .473. However, it's not like Broadwater Academy struggles in that department as they've averaged .480. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Northampton skirted past Broadwater Academy 14-13 when the teams last played back in April of 2015. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Yellowjackets since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
