Softball Preview: Union County Patriots vs. Northeastern Knights
Union County is 8-2 against Northeastern since May of 2017, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Thursday. The Union County Patriots will square off against the Northeastern Knights at 5:30 p.m. Union County is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9 runs per game this season.
Union County is is headed into Thursday's matchup looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their third straight game last Wednesday. They fell just short of Milan by a score of 16-14.
Union County got a massive performance out of Annalea Adams, who scored four runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4. Another player making a difference was Ally Gray, who scored four runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4.
Even though they lost, Union County kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 18 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Milan only hit ten.
Meanwhile, with a playoff game on the line, Northeastern rose to the challenge on Tuesday. They won by a run and slipped past the Panthers 5-4. The win made it back-to-back victories for Northeastern.
Clare Lopeman spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and one unearned) runs on four hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one walk in six consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Emma Neeley was excellent, scoring two runs while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances. Lillian Null was another key contributor, going 1-for-3 with a stolen base and two RBI.
Union County's defeat dropped their record down to 10-12. As for Northeastern, their victory bumped their record up to 14-7.
Both the pair just can't seem to miss. Union County has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10.8 hits per game. However, it's not like Northeastern struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 4.9. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Union County came up short against Northeastern when the teams last played back in April, falling 7-3. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Northeastern's Mackenzie Johnson, who tossed six innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits. Now that Union County knows the damage she can cause, will they be able to stop her this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
