Softball Game Preview: North Laurel Jaguars vs. Somerset Briar Jumpers

North Laurel has gone 8-2 against Somerset recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Monday. The Jaguars will face off against the Briar Jumpers at 6:00 p.m. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (North Laurel has nine straight wins, Somerset has four straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.

North Laurel came out on top against Middlesboro on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive 11-run first inning. The Jaguars were the clear victors by a 17-0 margin over the Yellowjackets. The result was nothing new for the Jaguars, who have now won ten matches by eight runs or more so far this season.

Emma Carl made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and only one walk). Carl was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April.

Morgan Edwards

Runs Batted In (Career)

05/01/25 @ Middlesboro	5
04/22/25 @ Jackson County	3
03/20/25 vs Lincoln County	2
03/13/25 vs Wayne County	2
03/25/25 vs Somerset	1

In other batting news, Morgan Edwards was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one home run and five RBI. Those five RBI gave her a new career-high. Saige McClure was another key player, going 1-for-2 with three RBI, two runs, and one double.

Meanwhile, Somerset lost 14-4 to Southwestern on Thursday. That's two games in a row now that the Briar Jumpers have lost by exactly ten runs.

North Laurel pushed their record up to 21-1-1 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.3 runs over those games. As for Somerset, their defeat dropped their record down to 8-12-1.

North Laurel took their victory against Somerset in their previous matchup back in March by a conclusive 10-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Jaguars since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.