North Branford has gone a perfect 7-0 against Portland recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Wednesday. The Thunderbirds will venture away from home to face off against the Highlanders at 4:00 p.m. North Branford will come into the game with an undefeated record on the line.
Portland's hitters are going to have their work cut out for them on Wednesday: North Branford hadn't allowed a single run the last three times they've hit the field. The Thunderbirds were the clear victors by a 7-0 margin over Cromwell on Tuesday. Considering the Thunderbirds have won four contests by more than six runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Lauren Vitarisi
| 04/22/25 @ Cromwell | 12 |
| 04/21/25 vs Old Lyme | 11 |
| 05/03/24 @ East Hampton | 10 |
| 04/23/24 @ Westbrook | 9 |
| 04/11/25 vs Valley Regional | 7 |
Lauren Vitarisi made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out 12 over seven innings pitched. Those 12 strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. That stolen base marked the first that she has snagged this season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Alia Martone, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last four games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Lexi Falcioni, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, after soaring to 12 runs the game before, Portland was a bit more limited in their matchup on Monday. They came up short against Valley Regional, falling 13-0. The Highlanders haven't had much luck with the Warriors recently, as the team has come up short the last eight times they've met.
North Branford's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 6-0. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.3 runs over those games. As for Portland, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-5.
Portland's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: North Branford has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .488. It's a different story for Portland, though, as they've only averaged .117. Will they be able to contain North Branford's hitters?
North Branford took their victory against Portland in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 23-0 score. Do the Thunderbirds have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Highlanders turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
