Salem is 1-9 against Cave Spring since May of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Spartans will head out to face off against the Knights at 5:00 p.m. Salem will be looking to extend their current ten-game winning streak.
Salem is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victors by a 17-2 margin over Northside on Wednesday. The result was nothing new for the Spartans, who have now won ten games by seven runs or more so far this season.
Olivia Crosswhite
| 04/30/25 @ Northside | 2 |
| 04/25/25 @ Pulaski County | 1 |
| 04/22/25 vs Patrick Henry | 1 |
| 04/18/25 vs Christiansburg | 1 |
| 04/14/25 vs Glenvar | 1 |
Olivia Crosswhite made a splash no matter where she played. She pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two hits in five consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with two RBI and one double. Those two RBI gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Piper Furmage and Anne Crew did most of the damage at the plate: Furmage went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, four runs, and four RBI, while Crew went 3-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and two doubles. That's the most hits Furmage has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Caitlin Wells, who went 2-for-5 with two runs and one RBI.
Salem always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .641. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Cave Spring came out on top against Lord Botetourt on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run third inning. The Knights never let the Cavaliers get on the board and left with a 7-0 victory. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Knights.
Caitlyn Karnes made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run over four innings pitched. Karnes was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Jayden Eanes, who went 1-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI. That triple was her first of the season. Abigail Bradberry was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.
Salem's win was their sixth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 12-3. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.8 runs on average over those games. As for Cave Spring, their record is now 8-6.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Salem hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .382. However, it's not like Cave Spring struggles in that department as they've averaged .344. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Salem beat Cave Spring 4-0 when the teams last played back in April. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Spartans since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
