Softball Game Preview: Triad Knights vs. Centralia Orphans

The Triad Knights will venture away from home to face off against the Centralia Orphans at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Triad is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.2 runs per game this season.

Triad had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the nine-run drubbing they dealt Highland on Wednesday. The Knights' pitchers stepped up to hand the Bulldogs a 9-0 shutout. The result was nothing new for the Knights, who have now won seven contests by seven runs or more so far this season.

Triad secured the win behind a pair of hitters. One of them was Syd Horn, who went 1-for-4 with one triple and one run. That triple was Horn's first of the season.

Triad was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .394. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their batting average total in three consecutive matchups.

Meanwhile, Centralia waltzed into their game on Tuesday with eight straight wins... but they left with nine. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 2-1 W against the Terriers.

Centralia's victory was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-1. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.5 runs on average over those games. As for Triad, their victory bumped their record up to 11-5.

Triad beat Centralia 6-3 when the teams last played back in April of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Knights since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.