Softball Game Preview: North Royalton Bears vs. Hudson Explorers

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Previous Games

04/10/24 - Home	11-0 W
05/04/23 - Away	17-1 W
04/26/23 - Home	8-0 W
04/27/22 - Away	13-6 W
05/17/19 - Home	3-2 W
+ 5 more games

North Royalton is 8-2 against Hudson since April of 2016 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Monday. The Bears are packing up and heading out on the road for their first away game of the season: they will take on the Explorers at 5:00 p.m. Hudson took a loss in their last match and will be looking to turn the tables on North Royalton, who comes in off a win.

North Royalton had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 16-run drubbing they dealt Portland Christian on Thursday. The Bears blew past the Eagles 17-1. The Bears' win was nothing new given the team hasn't lost yet this season.

Meanwhile, Hudson had to start their season on the road on Friday, and it wasn't the start they were hoping for. They took a 14-11 hit to the loss column at the hands of Nordonia. The Explorers have struggled against the Knights recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive lost meeting.

Shawna Baylor led a balanced group of hitters, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with one home run, four runs, and two RBI. Bailey Deutsch was another key player, scoring three runs while going 4-for-5.

North Royalton's victory was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 3-0. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Hudson, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-1.

Everything went North Royalton's way against Hudson when the teams last played back in April of 2024, as North Royalton made off with an 11-0 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bears since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.