Western Branch has gone 9-1 against King's Fork recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Bruins will take on the Bulldogs at 5:45 p.m. Western Branch will be looking to extend their current six-game winning streak.
On Tuesday, Western Branch earned a 6-2 win over Deep Creek.
Haylee Bandura
| 05/20/25 vs Deep Creek | 2 |
| 05/15/25 vs Nansemond River | 2 |
| 05/12/25 @ York | 2 |
| 05/08/25 vs Hickory | 2 |
| 05/05/25 vs Nansemond-Suffolk Academy | 2 |
| + 2 more games |
Haylee Bandura spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on six hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Ashley Matthews was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one run. Lilly Creef was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Western Branch kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in ten consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Tuesday just wasn't the day for King's Fork's offense. They came up short against Nansemond River on Tuesday, falling 13-0. Having soared to a lofty 12 runs in the game before, the Bulldogs' shutout was a dramatic turnaround.
Western Branch's victory was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 17-3. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.6 runs over those games. As for King's Fork, with the defeat, they broke their three-game winning streak and moved their record to 9-9.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Western Branch hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .414. However, it's not like King's Fork struggles in that department as they've averaged .376. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Western Branch's way against King's Fork when the teams last played two weeks ago, as Western Branch made off with a 15-1 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bruins since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
