Softball Game Preview: Concord Spiders vs. Lake Norman Charter Knights

The Concord Spiders will square off against the Lake Norman Charter Knights at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

Friday just wasn't the day for Concord's offense. They lost 10-0 to South Rowan on Friday. Having soared to a lofty 16 runs in the game before, the Spiders' shutout was a dramatic turnaround.

Concord saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Anamaria Shuman, who went 1-for-3 with one double.

Meanwhile, Lake Norman Charter came into Friday's match having lost seven straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Robinson an 18-0 shutout on Friday. The Knights' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.

Morgan Gadd made a splash while hitting and pitching. She struck out eight batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. That home run was her first of the season.

In other batting news, Ilyana Smith was a standout: she scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-2. Sarah Negrete was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-1.

Lake Norman Charter always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .680. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.

Concord's loss dropped their record down to 8-6. As for Lake Norman Charter, their win bumped their record up to 3-8.

Concord skirted past Lake Norman Charter 6-4 when the teams last played back in March. Will the Spiders repeat their success, or do the Knights have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.