Softball Preview: May River Sharks vs. Lucy Beckham Bengals
May River is 5-0 against Lucy Beckham since April of 2022, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The May River Sharks will be playing in front of their home fans against the Lucy Beckham Bengals at 7:00 p.m. May River is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 8.5 runs per game this season.
May River had been on a three-game streak of scoring at least ten runs, but James Island put an end to it on Wednesday. May River took a 3-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of James Island. May River has not had much luck with James Island recently, as the team's come up short the last two times they've met.
Olivia Nagel spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on four hits.
Meanwhile, in what's become a running theme this season, Lucy Beckham gave their fans yet another huge win on Wednesday. They beat Hilton Head Island by the very same score they won with in their prior game: 10-0. The victory made it back-to-back wins for Lucy Beckham.
Lauren Bas was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 13 over five innings pitched. Bas has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive pitching appearances. Bas was also big at the plate, scoring three runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-2.
In other batting news, Kamari Davis was excellent, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Eliza Hoover, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 1-for-3.
May River's loss dropped their record down to 9-8. As for Lucy Beckham, they have been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games, which provided a nice bump to their 9-7 record this season.
Friday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. May River has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .460. However, it's not like Lucy Beckham struggles in that department as they've averaged .440. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
May River took their victory against Lucy Beckham in their previous matchup back in March by a conclusive 10-2. Will May River repeat their success, or does Lucy Beckham have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
