Softball Game Preview: Oil City Oilers vs. Hickory Hornets

Oil City is on a five-game streak of home losses, and Hickory a four-game streak of away losses dating back to last season. However, someone's due for a change in luck on Thursday. The Oil City Oilers will host the Hickory Hornets at 4:00 p.m. Oil City has given up an average of 14.1 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

The home team had won the previous three meetings between Oil City and Slippery Rock, and Slippery Rock kept the tradition alive. The Oilers came up short against the Rockets on Tuesday, falling 11-1.

Shayla Hanlon was cooking despite her team's loss, going a perfect 1-for-1 with one home run. That home run marked the first that she has launched this season.

Meanwhile, Hickory beat Grove City 8-5 on Tuesday. The victory continues a trend for the Hornets in their matchups with the Eagles: they've now won nine in a row.

Guiliana Palazzo made a splash while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run over seven innings pitched. Palazzo was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Olivia Schneider, who went 1-for-4 with one home run. Another player making a difference was Laney Hand, who went 1-for-3 with two runs and one double.

Hickory's win bumped their record up to 4-7. As for Oil City, their loss dropped their record down to 1-10.

Oil City suffered a grim 16-4 defeat to Hickory when the teams last played on April 1st. Will the Oilers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.