Softball Game Preview: South Iredell Vikings vs. Hough Huskies

The South Iredell Vikings are taking a road trip to challenge the Hough Huskies at 6:30 p.m. on Monday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as South Iredell comes in on four and Hough on eight.

South Iredell had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 12-run drubbing they dealt Cox Mill on Friday. The Vikings were the clear victors by a 13-1 margin over the Chargers. The Vikings might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five games by six runs or more this season.

Caroline Constable was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing three bases while going 3-for-3. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in February. Another player making a difference was Keyonna Waddell, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-3.

Meanwhile, Hough sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 2-1 victory over Myers Park on Friday.

Payton Elwell spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on three hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in nine consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Seanna Shivers, who went 1-for-3 with one home run. That home run was her first of the season.

Hough hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in 11 consecutive matchups.

Hough's win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 14-2. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.5 runs on average over those games. As for South Iredell, they now have a winning record of 8-7.

South Iredell was able to grind out a solid win over Hough in their previous meeting back in March of 2017, winning 4-1. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Vikings since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.