Softball Game Preview: Rustburg Red Devils vs. Jefferson Forest Cavaliers

The Rustburg Red Devils will head out to challenge the Jefferson Forest Cavaliers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Rustburg's pitching crew has only allowed 2.6 runs per game this season, so Jefferson Forest's hitters will have their work cut out for them.

The scorekeeper got an easy start on Tuesday as neither Rustburg nor Brookville made it on the board until the sixth inning. The Red Devils fell just short of the Bees by a score of 3-1. Red Devils fans who chose to attend the game sure picked the wrong one: it was the first time the team's lost against the Bees since on Tuesday.

Laila Bigham

Batters Struck Out

04/29/25 vs Brookville	15
04/28/25 vs Amherst County	9
04/22/25 @ Liberty	14
04/19/25 vs Halifax County	9
04/04/25 vs Amherst County	14
+ 5 more games

Laila Bigham spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on five hits and racked up 15 Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in ten consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Rustburg saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kamryn Powell, who went 2-for-3 with one RBI.

Meanwhile, Jefferson Forest faced Staunton River in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Wednesday. The Cavaliers sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 3-1 victory over the Golden Eagles. The win was familiar territory for the Cavaliers, who have now won three matches in a row.

Jefferson Forest also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Amelia Long gave up only one earned run on two hits and racked up ten Ks.

Jefferson Forest pushed their record up to 11-1 with the victory, which was their seventh straight at home dating back to last season. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average over those games. As for Rustburg, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost six of their last eight contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 8-6 record this season.

The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Rustburg has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 10.4 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Jefferson Forest struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 12.2 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.