Softball Game Preview: Northridge Raiders vs. Jimtown Jimmies

The Northridge Raiders will venture away from home to square off against the Jimtown Jimmies at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams are strolling into their matchups after big wins in their previous games.

While Raiders fans will have to keep waiting for their team to come home, they shouldn't be too worried about the road trip considering the result of Tuesday's season opener. They were the clear victors by a 14-6 margin over Lakeland on Tuesday.

Rielyn Goodwin was a standout: she scored two runs and stole three bases while going 1-for-5. Another player making a difference was Mia Branam, who scored a run while going 3-for-5.

Northridge was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .487. The last time their batting average was this high was back in April of 2024.

Meanwhile, while Jimtown put up some runs on Wednesday, the same can't be said for Niles. Jimtown put the hurt on Niles with a sharp 6-0 victory.

Not much got past Kiyla Eberhart, who gave up just two hits and racked up 14 Ks to keep Niles off the board. Furthermore, Eberhart didn't allow a single earned run, the first time she has blanked an opponent since back in April of 2024.

On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Maleah Wingard, who scored a run while going 2-for-2. Kendal McPhee was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.

Northridge skirted past Jimtown 4-3 when the teams last played back in April of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for Northridge since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.