Courtland is 1-8 against Riverbend since April of 2016 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Monday. The Cougars will be playing at home against the Bears at 4:30 p.m. Courtland is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.5 runs per game this season.
Things were looking good for Courtland after they put the first run on the board on Thursday, but unfortunately for them things went downhill from there. They came up short against Spotsylvania, falling 14-4. The Cougars have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Courtland saw seven different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Maddi Dunavant, who went 1-for-2 with one run and one RBI. Brooklyn Buchanan was another, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Meanwhile, Riverbend waltzed into their contest on Friday with nine straight wins... but they left with ten. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 4-3 W against the Fighting Hornets. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Bears have posted since April 4th.
Chloe King made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out eight batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off five hits (and only one walk). King was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one run and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Emma Smith, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Jameson Snell, who went 2-for-4 with one double and one RBI.
Riverbend pushed their record up to 12-3 with the win, which was their sixth straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.2 runs on average over those games. As for Courtland, their loss dropped their record down to 4-7.
Monday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Courtland hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .347. However, it's not like Riverbend struggles in that department as they've averaged .366. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Courtland suffered a grim 15-0 defeat to Riverbend when the teams last played back in March. Will the Cougars have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
