The Volunteer Falcons will challenge the Claiborne Bulldogs at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Volunteer knows how to get runs on the board -- the team has finished with ten runs or more in their past four matchups -- so hopefully Claiborne likes a good challenge.
While Volunteer didn't have the best season last year (they finished 6-10), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They blew past Greeneville 10-1 on Tuesday. Fans of the Falcons have seen this all before: every one of the games they've played this season has ended in a blowout of 6+ runs.
Addyson Fisher spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on three hits and racked up 16 Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up a single earned run any time she's pitched this season.
At the plate, Zetta Smith was a standout: she went 2-for-4 with five RBI, one stolen base, and one run. Another player making a difference was Jayden Ford, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4.
Volunteer always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .514. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Greeneville only posted an OBP of .222.
Meanwhile, Claiborne unfortunately witnessed the end of their three-game winning streak on Tuesday. They took a 10-7 hit to the loss column at the hands of Grainger.
Jaylen Pressnell was cooking despite her team's loss, scoring two runs while going 3-for-4. That's the most hits she has posted since back in April of 2024. Kinley Mullins was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Volunteer pushed their record up to 4-0 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home dating back to last season. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.8 runs on average over those games. As for Claiborne, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-2.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Volunteer hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .422. However, it's not like Claiborne struggles in that department as they've averaged .407. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Volunteer's way against Claiborne in their previous meeting two weeks ago, as Volunteer made off with a 13-0 victory. Will Volunteer repeat their success, or does Claiborne have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
