Softball Game Preview: North Henderson Knights vs. Franklin Panthers

North Henderson is 2-8 against Franklin since April of 2016 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Knights will face off against the Panthers at 5:00 p.m. North Henderson has given up an average of 12.8 runs per game this season, but Tuesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Hendersonville hit North Henderson with a six-run sixth inning on Monday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Knights lost 13-6 to the Bearcats. Knights fans who chose to attend the game sure picked the wrong one: it was the first time the team's lost against the Bearcats since on Monday.

Kennedy Drake made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 3-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double. Mollie Spear was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one run and one double.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Franklin, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Wednesday. They narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past Murphy 3-1. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Panthers have posted since March 11th.

Suzanna Cabe made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off five hits (and only one walk). She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one home run, one stolen base, and two RBI.

In other batting news, Layla Maloy was excellent, going 1-for-2 with one home run. That home run marked the first that she has launched this season.

Franklin has been performing well recently as they've won ten of their last 12 contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 14-5 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.8 runs over those games. As for North Henderson, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 3-13.

North Henderson suffered a grim 15-0 defeat to Franklin when the teams last played back in March. Can the Knights avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.