The Zane Trace Pioneers will face off against the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday.
Thursday just wasn't the day for Zane Trace's offense. They fell 3-0 to Jackson on Thursday. Having soared to a lofty 11 runs in the game before, the Pioneers' shutout was a dramatic turnaround.
Meanwhile, after low-scoring totals in their previous three contest, Lynchburg-Clay brought some dynamite into their most recent match. They narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past West Union 10-8. With that victory, the Mustangs brought their scoring average up to 6.4 runs per game.
Aubrey Roberts spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and four unearned) runs on nine hits and racked up six Ks. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Sophia. Michael, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with two runs, two RBI, and one double. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Reese Ruble, who went 3-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Lynchburg-Clay always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .556. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as West Union only posted an OBP of .344.
Lynchburg-Clay's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-3. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of 1.33 runs across that stretch. As for Zane Trace, they have been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 5-7 record this season.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Saturday. Zane Trace hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.4 home runs per game. However, it's not like Lynchburg-Clay struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 0.8 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.
Zane Trace came out on top in a nail-biter against Lynchburg-Clay when the teams last played back in April of 2024, sneaking past 4-2. Will the Pioneers repeat their success, or do the Mustangs have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
