Softball Game Preview: Nansemond-Suffolk Academy Saints vs. Western Branch Bruins

The Nansemond-Suffolk Academy Saints will challenge the Western Branch Bruins at 5:45 p.m. on Monday. Both teams are coming into the matchup red-hot, with Nansemond-Suffolk Academy sitting on 11 straight wins and Western Branch on three.

While Nansemond-Suffolk Academy's victory against Isle of Wight Academy wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Saints never let the Chargers get on the board and left with a 1-0 win on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Western Branch faced Grassfield in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Thursday. The Bruins had just enough and edged out the Grizzlies 4-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Bruins have posted since May 3, 2024.

Haylee Bandura spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on six hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in six consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Marissa Bernheimer was incredible, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run and three RBI. She is on a roll when it comes to RBI, as she's now brought in three or more in each of the last three games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Maddie Lemasters, who went 3-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.

Nansemond-Suffolk Academy's win was their 15th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 15-4. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.9 runs over those games. As for Western Branch, their win bumped their record up to 11-2.