The Hampton Talbots will square off against the Fort LeBoeuf Bison on Thursday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Hampton 2.6, Fort LeBoeuf 2.7) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Hampton is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Monday. They never let Punxsutawney get on the board and left with a 1-0 victory. The win was familiar territory for the Talbots, who have now won five games in a row.
The result came thanks to Marissa Snyder's shutout, as she gave up just five hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 11 consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Ashley Schick, who went 1-for-2 with one home run.
Meanwhile, Fort LeBoeuf had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 3 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Monday. They walked away with a 10-6 victory over the Warriors. Fort LeBoeuf's win was all the more impressive since the Warriors were averaging only 3.25 runs allowed on the season.
Ibree Rodgers and Mirabela Zaczyk did most of the damage at the plate: Rodgers went 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI, while Zaczyk went 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Gemma Malinowski also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Fort LeBoeuf was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .486. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Elizabeth Forward only posted a batting average of .300.
Hampton's victory was their eighth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 19-6. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.6 runs over those games. As for Fort LeBoeuf, their record now sits at 18-3.
Thursday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Hampton hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .332. However, it's not like Fort LeBoeuf struggles in that department as they've averaged .313. 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.
