Softball Game Preview: Middleburg Broncos vs. Ponte Vedra Sharks

The Middleburg Broncos will venture away from home to take on the Ponte Vedra Sharks at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Middleburg's pitching crew has only allowed 3.2 runs per game this season, so Ponte Vedra's hitters will have their work cut out for them.

Middleburg's last matchup with Baker County could've gone either way, but unfortunately the same can't be said for the pair's matchup on Friday. The Broncos lost 7-1 to the Wildcats. The Broncos' defeat signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.

Middleburg saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Mallory Ficklin, who went 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.

Meanwhile, Ponte Vedra didn't have quite enough to beat Mandarin on Tuesday and fell 6-5.

Emma Shin was cooking despite her team's loss, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.

Ponte Vedra's loss ended a nine-game streak of away wins and brought them to 13-7. As for Middleburg, their defeat dropped their record down to an identical 13-7.

Ponte Vedra's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Thursday. Middleburg has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.8 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Ponte Vedra, though, as they've been averaging only 3.8 strikeouts. Will Middleburg keep running through batters, or will the Sharks buck the trend?

Middleburg was able to grind out a solid win over Ponte Vedra when the teams last played back in March of 2024, winning 5-0. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Broncos since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.