Softball Game Preview: Ava Bears vs. Licking Wildcats

The Ava Bears will head out on the road to square off against the Licking Wildcats at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Ava lost 11-2 to Fair Grove on Tuesday. The Bears haven't had much luck with the Eagles recently, as the team has come up short the last six times they've met.

Ava saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Hannah Forrest, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-3. Another was Autumn Cudworth, who went 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.

Fans were treated to a battle of the Wildcats on Tuesday. Licking was the clear victor by a 14-6 margin over Summersville. The win continues a trend for Licking in their matchups with Summersville: they've now won five in a row.

Kimree Brazier made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Brazier was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing four bases while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.

In other batting news, Licking let Zoey Dawson and Aubrey Gorman run wild. Dawson went 3-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs, while Gorman scored three runs and stole two bases while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. The team also got some help courtesy of Kadyn Hall, who scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.

Ava's defeat dropped their record down to 0-2. As for Licking, they now have a winning record of 2-1.

Everything went Ava's way against Licking in their previous matchup back in March of 2024, as Ava made off with a 9-2 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Ava since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.