Softball Preview: Albemarle Patriots vs. Western Albemarle Warriors
Albemarle has been on the road for four straight, but on Tuesday they'll finally head home. They will take on the Western Albemarle Warriors at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The pair are strolling into their matches after big wins in their previous games.
Albemarle is headed into the matchup fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They blew past Manassas Park 24-15. With that victory, Albemarle brought their scoring average up to 7.4 runs per game.
Ava Whitman was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and only two hits while striking out nine over six innings pitched. Whitman was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-5.
In other batting news, Mela Gibson was a standout: she scored four runs while getting on base in five of her six plate appearances. Raylynn Crusse- Willaims was another key contributor, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 4-for-6.
Meanwhile, Western Albemarle came into Friday's contest having lost four straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They were the clear victor by a 19-5 margin over Madison County on Friday. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for Western Albemarle considering their one-run performance the game before.
Like Albemarle, Western Albemarle also got a great game from a two-way player: Lillie Boyle. She tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. Boyle was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 1-for-1.
In other batting news, Jillie Clark and Addy Hux did most of the damage at the plate: Clark fired off two home runs and three RBI while going 3-for-3, while Hux went 3-for-3 with a home run, two runs, and a stolen base. Another player making a difference was Mary Kumer, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-3.
Albemarle's win bumped their record up to 3-6. As for Western Albemarle, their victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 2-5-1.
Albemarle's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's match. Albemarle has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Western Albemarle, though, as they've been averaging only 1.3. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Albemarle continue to outrun the ball?
Albemarle suffered a grim 20-1 defeat to Western Albemarle when the teams last played back in May of 2023. Will Albemarle have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
