Softball Preview: Nardin Academy Gators vs. Nichols Vikings
Nardin Academy is 10-0 against Nichols since May of 2021, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Nardin Academy Gators will be staying on the road to face off against the Nichols Vikings at 4:30 p.m. Nardin Academy is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.2 runs per game this season.
Nardin Academy's pitching crew heads into the match hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Thursday. They came out on top against Lancaster by a score of 4-0.
The result came thanks to Erin Nuwer's shutout, as she gave up just two hits and racked up 12 Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in seven consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Nardin Academy's victory was truly a team effort as three different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Emily Gorman, who scored a run while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, Nichols was not able to break out of their rough patch on Wednesday as the team picked up their fifth straight defeat. They lost 17-4 to St. Mary's.
Camryn Flanigan and Brynn Bacak did some serious damage despite the final result: Flanigan scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances, while Bacak went 1-for-3 with a triple and an RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Darcy Bartels, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-2.
Nardin Academy is on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last nine contests, which provided a nice bump to their 11-2 record this season. As for Nichols, their loss dropped their record down to 2-8.
Nichols' pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Nardin Academy has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10.3 hits per game. It's a different story for Nichols, though, as they've been averaging 9.2. Given Nardin Academy's sizable advantage in that area, Nichols will need to find a way to close that gap.
Nardin Academy took their win against Nichols in their previous matchup back in April by a conclusive 14-4. The rematch might be a little tougher for Nardin Academy since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
