Softball Game Preview: Ardrey Kell Knights vs. Ballantyne Ridge Wolves

The Ardrey Kell Knights will head out on the road to challenge the Ballantyne Ridge Wolves at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Ardrey Kell is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.9 runs per game this season.

Things were looking good for Ardrey Kell after they put the first points on the board on Thursday, but unfortunately for them things went downhill from there. They fell just short of Independence by a score of 11-9. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the Knights have suffered since April 20, 2024.

Reagan Martin

Runs Batted In (Career)

03/27/25 vs Independence	5
03/25/25 vs Palisades	3
02/28/25 vs Mallard Creek	3
03/19/25 @ South Mecklenburg	2
03/13/25 vs Myers Park	2

Reagan Martin made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, five RBI, and three runs. Those five RBI gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Janey Galek, who scored three runs while going 4-for-4.

Martin wasn't the only one working in the hit department: Ardrey Kell kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in four consecutive matches.

Meanwhile, Thursday just wasn't the day for Ballantyne Ridge's offense. They lost 6-0 to Myers Park on Thursday. Having soared to a lofty 13 runs in the game before, the Wolves' shutout was a dramatic turnaround.

Ardrey Kell's defeat ended a four-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 7-7. As for Ballantyne Ridge, their record is now 5-10.

Ballantyne Ridge's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Ardrey Kell has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10.3 hits per game. It's a different story for Ballantyne Ridge, though, as they've been averaging 9.2 hits. Given Ardrey Kell's sizable advantage in that area, Ballantyne Ridge will need to find a way to close that gap.

Ardrey Kell took their win against Ballantyne Ridge in their previous meeting on March 6th by a conclusive 14-2. The rematch might be a little tougher for Ardrey Kell since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.