The Daleville Broncos will square off against the Tri-Central Trojans at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. Daleville will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each game than the last.
Daleville had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the ten-run drubbing they dealt Richmond on Thursday. The Broncos were the clear victors by a 13-3 margin over the Red Devils. Considering the Broncos have won four matchups by more than nine runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Rylan Leonard made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up a single walk in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Valyn Pattengale, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. Maddie Rees was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
Meanwhile, Tri-Central was not able to break out of their rough patch on Wednesday as the team picked up their third straight loss. They fell 7-3 to Delphi Community.
Tri-Central saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Logan Creason, who went 1-for-2 with one stolen base and one RBI. That stolen base was Creason's first of the season.
Daleville pushed their record up to 6-2 with the victory, which was their seventh straight at home dating back to last season. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.6 runs over those games. As for Tri-Central, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-4.
Tri-Central's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Daleville has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .527. It's a different story for Tri-Central, though, as they've only averaged .298. Will they be able to contain Daleville's hitters?
Daleville suffered a grim 21-5 defeat to Tri-Central in their previous matchup back in May of 2022. Will the Broncos have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
