Softball Game Preview: West Branch Warriors vs. Juniata Valley Hornets

For the second straight game, West Branch will face off against Juniata Valley. The Warriors are taking a road trip to challenge the Hornets at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. West Branch is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8 runs per game this season.

West Branch's pitching crew heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Tuesday. Everything went their way against Juniata Valley as they made off with a 7-0 victory. The Warriors have beaten the Hornets the last five times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Hornets has come to flipping the script.

Makena Moore

Batters Struck Out

05/06/25 vs Juniata Valley	15
05/02/25 @ Brookville	6
05/01/25 vs Curwensville	13
04/28/25 @ Mount Union	12
04/22/25 vs Glendale	17
+ 8 more games

Makena Moore made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out 15 over seven innings pitched. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in 13 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one double.

In other batting news, West Branch let Lindsey Bainey and Haley Woodling run wild. Bainey went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and two runs, while Woodling went 1-for-4 with three RBI, one triple, and one run. That's the most RBI Woodling has posted since back in May of 2024.

West Branch pushed their record up to 13-3 with the win, which was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.3 runs over those games. As for Juniata Valley, they have been struggling recently as they've lost seven of their last eight matches. That's put a noticeable dent in their 6-8-1 record this season.

The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. West Branch has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 11.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Juniata Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.