Softball Game Preview: Handley Judges vs. Skyline Hawks

Handley is on a four-game streak of home losses dating back to last season, and Skyline a three-game streak of away losses. However, someone's due for a change in luck on Thursday. The Handley Judges will be playing at home against the Skyline Hawks at 6:00 p.m. Handley has given up an average of 23 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Tuesday just wasn't the day for Handley's offense. They came up short against James Wood on Tuesday, falling 19-0. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last four times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.

Meanwhile, it may have taken ten innings to finish the job, but Skyline ultimately got the result they hoped for on Wednesday. They beat Millbrook by the very same score they won with in their prior game: 8-7.

Mackenzie McIntyre tossed a big game, tossing eight innings while giving up five earned (and one unearned) runs off 12 hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Carleigh Baugher, who went 3-for-5 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. Meyah Jenkins was another key player, going 3-for-5 with one home run.

Skyline 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 eight hits in six consecutive matches.

Skyline has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a massive bump to their 5-6 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.5 runs over those games. As for Handley, their loss dropped their record down to 0-5.

Handley might still be hurting after the 25-2 defeat they got from Skyline in their previous matchup back in April of 2023. Can the Judges avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.