Softball Game Preview: Ferndale Wildcats vs. St. Bernard's Crusaders

Ferndale hasn't had much luck against St. Bernard recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Wildcats will challenge the Crusaders at 2:00 p.m. Ferndale is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.9 runs per game this season.

Ferndale came up short against South Fork on Thursday, falling 10-1. The Wildcats have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Ferndale saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Alayna Cooney, who went 2-for-4 with one double. That double marked the first that Cooney has hit this season.

St. Bernard's came out on top against Hoopa Valley on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive six-run first inning. The Crusaders sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 12-10 win over the Warriors. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Crusaders considering their two-run performance the match before.

Makinsey Lemley was incredible, going 4-for-5 with three doubles, two runs, and one stolen base. What's more, she posted two RBI, the most she's had since back in March. Bailee White was another key player, going 2-for-5 with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.

St. Bernard's was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .415. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.

St. Bernard's has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight games. That's provided a nice bump to their 10-7 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.8 runs over those games. As for Ferndale, their loss dropped their record down to 6-9.

Ferndale suffered a grim 12-2 defeat to St. Bernard's in their previous matchup two weeks ago. Can the Wildcats avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.