The Smithfield Packers are taking a road trip to challenge the Southampton Indians at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Smithfield took a loss when they played away from home on Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They came out on top against Tabb by a score of 8-3.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Southampton). They were the clear victors by a 19-0 margin over Surry County on Tuesday. With that victory, the Indians brought their scoring average up to 9 runs per game.
Anne Jackson Pope made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out seven over five innings pitched. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. That home run was her first of the season.
In other batting news, Isabelle Melbye was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-3. Those three hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Paisley Benson, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4.
Southampton always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .647. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Surry County only posted an OBP of .167.
Southampton pushed their record up to 3-1 with the win, which was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 15.6 runs over those games. As for Smithfield, the win got them back to even at 3-3.
Monday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Smithfield hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .538. However, it's not like Southampton struggles in that department as they've averaged .339. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
