Softball Game Preview: Vicksburg Gators vs. Loyd Star Hornets

Vicksburg is 1-9 against Loyd Star since February of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Gators will challenge the Hornets at 6:30 p.m. Vicksburg will be strutting in after a win while Loyd Star will be coming in after a defeat.

Last Tuesday, Vicksburg got the win against Ridgeland by a conclusive 18-2. The contest marked the Gators' most dominant victory of the season.

Vicksburg got a massive performance out of Zion Harvey, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three doubles, four RBI, and two runs. Madisyn Kimble also deserves some recognition as she got her first hits of the season.

Vicksburg always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .808. The last time their OBP was this high was was before the start of last season.

Meanwhile, Loyd Star unfortunately witnessed the end of their six-game winning streak on Friday. They fell just short of Lawrence County by a score of 13-11. The pitching woes were uncharacteristic for the Hornets, who until this match were averaging 3.35 runs allowed.

Loyd Star got a massive performance out of Kaylin Hester, who scored three runs and stole two bases while going 4-for-4. Maddie Kate Britt was another key player, scoring four runs while going 2-for-4.

Vicksburg is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a nice bump to their 5-11 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.8 runs over those games. As for Loyd Star, their loss dropped their record down to 15-5.

Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Vicksburg hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .346. However, it's not like Loyd Star struggles in that department as they've averaged .320. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.

Vicksburg couldn't quite finish off Loyd Star in their previous matchup back in February and fell 11-9. Can the Gators avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.