Softball Game Preview: Speedway Sparkplugs vs. Herron Achaeans

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Previous 4 Games

05/20/24 - Neutral	12-4 W
04/23/22 - Neutral	19-5 W
04/24/21 - Away	23-1 W
04/15/17 - Neutral	16-2 W

Speedway has gone a perfect 4-0 against Herron recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Sparkplugs will take on the Achaeans at 5:30 p.m.

Things were looking good for Speedway after they put the first runs on the board on Monday, but unfortunately for them things went downhill from there. They lost 11-5 to North Putnam.

Mallory Short made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and scored two runs while going 2-for-3. Aria Graves was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.

For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when Herron and Pike meet (three straight games heading into this one) and that held true again on Wednesday. The Achaeans were the clear victors by a 17-3 margin over the Red Devils. The result was nothing new for the Achaeans, who have now won four matches by seven runs or more so far this season.

The team relied heavily on Katherine Simcox, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-2. Evelyn Grimes also deserves some recognition as she brought in her first RBI of the season.

Herron always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .622. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.

Herron now has a winning record of 4-3. As for Speedway, they now have a losing record of 1-2.

Herron's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Speedway has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.3 hits per game. It's a different story for Herron, though, as they've been averaging 9.9 hits. Given Speedway's sizable advantage in that area, the Achaeans will need to find a way to close that gap.

Speedway took their victory against Herron when the teams last played back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 12-4 score. Do the Sparkplugs have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Achaeans turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.