Softball Preview: Claysburg-Kimmel Bulldogs vs. West Branch Warriors
The Claysburg-Kimmel Bulldogs are on the road again on Thursday to play the West Branch Warriors at 4:30 p.m. Both teams come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Claysburg-Kimmel is hoping to deliver their fans another blowout on Thursday, just like they did against Tussey Mountain (and have done all season long). Claysburg-Kimmel put the hurt on Tussey Mountain with a sharp 11-1 win on Tuesday.
Emalee Cavender was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she pitched an inning while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Cavender has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two hits in four consecutive pitching appearances. Cavender was even better at the plate, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Claysburg-Kimmel let Alexa Francona and Jaylee Swindell loose on the outfield. Francona went 1-for-2 with a triple, two RBI, and a run, while Swindell scored a run while going 2-for-3. Zakera Bush was another key contributor, going 2-for-4 with a triple, a run, and an RBI.
Meanwhile, West Branch came tearing into Tuesday's contest with six straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 10 runs) and they left with even more momentum. They came out on top against the Vikings by a score of 8-3.
Makena Moore spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three runs (all of which were unearned) on five hits and racked up eight Ks.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Greysyn Gable, who scored a run while going 4-for-4. The team also got some help courtesy of Haley Woodling, who scored a run while going 2-for-4.
Claysburg-Kimmel's victory was their eighth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 10-0. As for West Branch, their record now sits at 7-1.
Everything went Claysburg-Kimmel's way against West Branch in their previous meeting back in May of 2023 as Claysburg-Kimmel made off with an 11-5 win. Will Claysburg-Kimmel repeat their success, or does West Branch have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
