Softball Game Preview: Vance Charter Knights vs. Falls Lake Firebirds

Knights

Runs

03/18/25 @ Falls Lake	8
03/12/25 @ Riverside-Durham	16
03/11/25 vs Voyager Academy	18
03/06/25 @ Jordan	7

Vance Charter is 9-1 against Falls Lake since April of 2018 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Vance Charter Knights will host the Falls Lake Firebirds at 5:00 p.m. Vance Charter is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 12.2 runs per game this season.

The home team had come away the winner the last four times Vance Charter and Falls Lake had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. Vance Charter blew past Falls Lake 8-1 on Tuesday. The win continues a trend for the Knights in their matchups with the Firebirds: they've now won three in a row.

Leah Rice was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out nine batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off seven hits (and not a single walk). Furthermore, she didn't allow a single walk, the first time she has blanked an opponent since back in March of 2024. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one home run. That home run marked the first that she launched this season.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Aubrey Puryear, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. She is on a roll when it comes to RBI, as she's now brought in three or more in each of the last three games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Dakota Dickerson, who scored three runs while going 3-for-3.

Vance Charter kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits every time they've taken the field this season.

Vance Charter's victory bumped their record up to 3-1. As for Falls Lake, they dropped their record down to 3-4 with the defeat, which was their third straight at home.

Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Vance Charter hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .417. However, it's not like Falls Lake struggles in that department as they've averaged .322. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.