Softball Game Preview: Pike Liberal Arts Patriots vs. Brantley Bulldogs

The Pike Liberal Arts Patriots are taking a road trip to face off against the Brantley Bulldogs at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Pike Liberal Arts will roll into the game after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up two runs on Tuesday, then bounced right back against Goshen on Thursday. Pike Liberal Arts was the clear victors by a 15-0 margin over Goshen. That 15 run margin sets a new team best for the Patriots this season.

The team relied heavily on Haylie Brown, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-2. The team also got some help courtesy of Sarah Strickland, who scored two runs while going 1-for-2.

Pike Liberal Arts always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .741. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.

Meanwhile, Brantley waltzed into their match on Friday with four straight wins... but they left with five. They came out on top against the Panthers by a score of 8-3. The home team had taken home the W every time these teams have met since March 3, 2022, but that streak is no more.

Brantley's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 6-2. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.7 runs over those games. As for Pike Liberal Arts, their record is now 3-6.

Everything went Pike Liberal Arts' way against Brantley in their previous matchup last Saturday, as Pike Liberal Arts made off with a 9-2 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Pike Liberal Arts since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.