Softball Game Preview: Abbeville Wildcats vs. Crowley Gent

Abbeville is 1-9 against Crowley since March of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Monday. The Wildcats will challenge the Gent at 5:30 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.

Abbeville took a six-run loss the last time they faced off against Delcambre, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Wildcats had just enough and edged out the Panthers 14-13. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Wildcats have posted since March 10th.

Meanwhile, Crowley never let their opponents score on Wednesday. They put the hurt on Elton with a sharp 10-0 victory. The Gent might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine games by ten runs or more this season.

Zailey Smith made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out nine over five innings pitched. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.

In other batting news, China Williams was excellent, scoring a run and stealing two bases while getting on base in two of her three plate appearances. Those two stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Erika Hebert was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-3.

Crowley hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in four consecutive contests.

Abbeville has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-11 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.4 runs over those games. As for Crowley, their record now sits at 12-10.

Abbeville skirted past Crowley 8-7 in their previous meeting back in March. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Wildcats since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.