Softball Game Preview: James Monroe Mavericks vs. Greenbrier East Spartans

James Monroe hasn't had much luck against Greenbrier East recently, but that could start to change on Wednesday. The Mavericks will welcome the Spartans at 5:30 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Having struggled with six losses in a row, James Monroe turned things around against Bluefield on Monday. They put the hurt on the Beavers with a sharp 17-9 win. The high-scoring performance was a welcome turnaround for the Mavericks' hitters, who had struggled in the games prior.

Meanwhile, Greenbrier East sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 7-5 victory over Princeton on Tuesday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Spartans.

Kennah Collins spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and two unearned) runs on ten hits.

At the plate, Haylee Heaster was incredible, firing off two home runs, three runs, and three RBI while going 2-for-3. Those two home runs gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Reagan Cline, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double.

They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Greenbrier East kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in four consecutive contests.

Greenbrier East pushed their record up to 14-8 with the win, which was their sixth straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.2 runs over those games. As for James Monroe, their win bumped their record up to 6-12.

James Monroe came up short against Greenbrier East in their previous meeting on April 8th, falling 12-9. Will the Mavericks have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.