Softball Game Preview: Cleveland Blue Raiders vs. East Hamilton Hurricanes

Cleveland is 1-9 against East Hamilton since March of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Blue Raiders are taking a road trip to square off against the Hurricanes at 5:00 p.m.

Cleveland is headed into Thursday's contest looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their third straight game on Wednesday. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost an 11-10 heartbreaker at the hands of Ooltewah. Even if the Blue Raiders couldn't come away with the victory, the high-scoring effort was a great turnaround for their hitters, which had struggled int the games prior.

Allison Farnsworth was cooking despite her team's loss, going a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Lilly Mason was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.

Meanwhile, East Hamilton posted their closest win since March 21st on Tuesday. They had just enough and edged out Bradley Central 4-3.

Yulai Woodruff spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on three hits and racked up 11 Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Jada Rutley was excellent, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March. Katherine Woody also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.

Cleveland's defeat dropped their record down to 8-11. As for East Hamilton, their victory bumped their record up to 8-6.

Cleveland suffered a grim 9-1 defeat to East Hamilton in their previous matchup last Wednesday. Can the Blue Raiders avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.