Softball Game Preview: Nelson County Governors vs. Appomattox County Raiders

Nelson County hasn't had much luck against Appomattox County recently, but that could start to change on Wednesday. The Governors will look to defend their home field against the Raiders at 7:00 p.m.

Nelson County is headed into Wednesday's game looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their eighth straight game dating back to last season on Thursday. They took an 8-4 hit to the loss column at the hands of William Campbell. On the bright side, the four- run performance marked the Governors' highest-scoring contest to date.

Meanwhile, Appomattox County had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 4.5 runs) and they went ahead and made it five on Saturday. They never let the Cougars get on the board and left with a 6-0 win. The Raiders might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won three matchups by six runs or more this season.

The result came thanks to Chloe Vaughan's shutout, as she gave up just two hits and racked up 15 Ks. She has been consistent : she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in five consecutive appearances.

At the plate, the team relied heavily on Paisley Mann, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and one double. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in May of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Bailey Hamilton, who went 1-for-3 with one home run.

Mann wasn't the only one working in the home run department: Appomattox County lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.

Appomattox County's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 6-1. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.8 runs over those games. As for Nelson County, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-6.

Nelson County might still be hurting after the 17-0 loss they got from Appomattox County when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Governors avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.