Softball Preview: Atkins Camels vs. Dudley Panthers
The Atkins Camels will head out on the road to challenge the Dudley Panthers at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Atkins will be strutting in after a win while Dudley will be coming in after a loss.
Atkins had to endure a three-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They were the clear victor by a 17-1 margin over Ben L. Smith. The victory was just what Atkins needed coming off of a 15-0 defeat in their prior match.
Alexandria Austin made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over three innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. Austin was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing three bases while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances.
In other batting news, Janae Russell was a standout: she scored three runs and stole three bases while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances. Ava Fleming was another key contributor, scoring three runs and stealing three bases while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Friday just wasn't the day for Dudley's offense. They suffered a tough 15-0 loss at the hands of Eastern Guilford on Friday. The defeat unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Dudley in their matchups with Eastern Guilford: they've now lost seven in a row.
Atkins' win ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 3-7. As for Dudley, their loss dropped their record down to 0-6.
Dudley's pitching crew has a tough task ahead of them: Atkins hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .368. It's a different story for Dudley, though, as they've only averaged .146. Will they be able to contain Atkins' hitters?
Everything went Atkins' way against Dudley in their previous meeting back in March of 2023 as Atkins made off with an 18-4 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Atkins since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
