Lakeland is 0-9 against Western Branch since March of 2016 but things could change on Thursday. The Cavaliers will be playing in front of their home fans against the Bruins at 5:45 p.m. Western Branch took a loss in their last contest and will be looking to turn the tables on Lakeland, who comes in off a win.
Lakeland will roll into the game after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up two runs last Monday, then bounced right back against King's Fork on Thursday. The Cavaliers blew past the Bulldogs 19-9. The Cavaliers haven't had any issues with the Bulldogs recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.
Meanwhile, Western Branch faced Greenbrier Christian Academy in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Tuesday. The Bruins came up short against the Gators, falling 8-1. The matchup marked the Bruins' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.
Haylee Bandura was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: she struck out eight batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and six unearned) runs off eight hits (and only one walk). She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season.
At the plate, Kaileigh Taylor made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 1-for-3 with one home run. Marissa Bernheimer also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
The victory got Lakeland back to even at 2-2. As for Western Branch, their defeat was their first of the season and makes their record 5-1.
Lakeland might still be hurting after the 13-0 loss they got from Western Branch when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Will the Cavaliers 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.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
