Softball Game Preview: Green Hope Falcons vs. Middle Creek Mustangs

Green Hope is 1-9 against Middle Creek since March of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Falcons will be playing at home against the Mustangs at 4:00 p.m. Green Hope has given up an average of 9.7 runs per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Fans were treated to a battle of the Falcons on Thursday. Green Hope lost 13-5 to Jordan. While Green Hope didn't get the win, they did start the game off strong, beating Jordan 5-1 in the first period.

Meanwhile, Middle Creek waltzed into their contest on Tuesday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They were the clear victors by a 12-2 margin over the Catamounts. The result was nothing new for the Mustangs, who have now won four matchups by seven runs or more so far this season.

Hailey Hoeft spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on seven hits and racked up 13 Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Kennedy Johnson, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4. The dominant performance also gave her a new career-high in RBI (three). Tori Gore was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-5.

Johnson wasn't the only one making solid contact: Middle Creek kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. The Mustangs are a perfect 4-0 when they post 11 or more hits.

Middle Creek pushed their record up to 5-6 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.7 runs over those games. As for Green Hope, they now have a losing record of 7-8.

Green Hope came up short against Middle Creek when the teams last played back in March, falling 10-5. Will the Falcons have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.