Poquoson is on a four-game streak of home wins, while Arcadia is on a three-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Islanders will host the Firebirds on Thursday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Poquoson 3.9, Arcadia 3.3) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Poquoson proved they can win big last Tuesday (they won by 19) and on Thursday they proved they can win the close ones too. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Warhill, sneaking past 3-1. The Islanders haven't had any issues with the Lions recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive victory against them.
Natalie Klochak spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on six hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Tinley Goodson, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI. Brooklyn Mason was another key player, getting on base in two of her four plate appearances with two stolen bases and one run.
Meanwhile, it can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but Arcadia had no problem doing just that on Tuesday. They never let the Raiders get on the board and left with a 3-0 win.
Not much got past Ryann Giddens, who gave up just a hit and racked up ten Ks to keep Amelia County off the board.
Arcadia is on a roll lately: they've won nine of their last ten games. That's provided a nice bump to their 13-7 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.6 runs on average over those games. As for Poquoson, their win bumped their record up to 17-2.
Thursday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Poquoson has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .471. However, it's not like Arcadia struggles in that department as they've averaged .443. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Poquoson took their victory against Arcadia in their previous matchup back in March of 2024 by a conclusive 15-0 score. Do the Islanders have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Firebirds turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
