Softball Game Preview: Waterbury Career Academy Spartans vs. Torrington Raiders

Waterbury Career Academy is 0-8 against Torrington since May of 2017 but things could change on Thursday. The Spartans will challenge the Raiders at 3:45 p.m. Waterbury Career Academy has given up an average of 13 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Waterbury Career Academy is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 19 runs on Friday, they were much more limited against Holy Cross on Monday. They came up short against the Crusaders, falling 13-1.

Waterbury Career Academy saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Trinitey Sanchez, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-2.

Meanwhile, Torrington faced New Milford in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Wednesday. The Raiders came out on top in a nail-biter against the Green Wave, sneaking past 7-6.

Sophia Pergola made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over seven innings while giving up three earned (and three unearned) runs off six hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than eight strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 3-for-4.

In other batting news, Torrington let Julia Rinaldi and Dylan Juliano run wild. Rinaldi scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4, while Juliano scored a run while going 1-for-3. Emma Hardwick also deserves some recognition as she scored her first run of the season.

Waterbury Career Academy's defeat dropped their record down to 1-5. As for Torrington, they now have a winning record of 3-2.

Torrington's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Waterbury Career Academy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .440. It's a different story for Torrington, though, as they've only averaged .347. Will they be able to contain Waterbury Career Academy's hitters? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.