The Newark Valley Cardinals will take on the Union Springs Wolves at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The teams are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Newark Valley has struggled recently with nine losses in a row, while Union Springs will arrive with 11 straight victories.
Newark Valley is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They came up short against Moravia on Monday, falling 18-10. Even if the Cardinals couldn't come away with the win, the high-scoring effort was a great turnaround for their hitters, which had struggled int the games prior.
Meanwhile, Union Springs made easy work of Tioga on Monday and carried off a 14-1 victory. The result was nothing new for the Wolves, who have now won ten matches by six runs or more so far this season.
Gracie Chalupnicki made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and one double.
In other batting news, Maddie Ward and Abbi Tracy did most of the damage at the plate: Ward went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and one stolen base, while Tracy went 2-for-3 with three runs, one double, and one RBI. Those three hits gave Ward a new career-high. Taylor Bergerstock was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run.
Union Springs hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in eight consecutive contests.
Union Springs' win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 11-0. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 16.7 runs over those games. As for Newark Valley, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-4.
Newark Valley might still be hurting after the 23-0 loss they got from Union Springs in their previous meeting on April 4th. Will the Cardinals 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.
