Softball Game Preview: Pinecrest Patriots vs. Union Pines Vikings

The Pinecrest Patriots will venture away from home to challenge the Union Pines Vikings at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.

Pinecrest's pitching crew heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Wednesday. Everything went their way against Cary as they made off with a 15-0 win. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Patriots.

Meanwhile, Union Pines came tearing into Wednesday's match with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 11.7 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They were the clear victors by a 15-0 margin over the Cavaliers. The Vikings might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won ten contests by ten runs or more this season.

Kaitlyn Blue looked comfortable as she tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 15 consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Kileigh Cameron was a standout: she went 2-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and one double. Haven Patterson was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI, two runs, and two doubles.

Union Pines was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .714. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .452 or higher in four consecutive games.

Union Pines' victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 14-8. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.0 runs over those games. As for Pinecrest, their record is now 6-15.

Pinecrest might still be hurting after the 18-4 defeat they got from Union Pines in their previous meeting back in March. Can the Patriots avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.