Softball Game Preview: Northampton Konkrete Kids vs. Hazleton Area Cougars

The Northampton Konkrete Kids are taking a road trip to challenge the Hazleton Area Cougars at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday. The last three games Northampton has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.

On Wednesday, Northampton sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 3-2 win over Easton Area. The victory continues a trend for the Konkrete Kids in their matchups with the Rovers: they've now won three in a row.

Meanwhile, Hazleton Area entered their match against Pittston on Tuesday without any home losses, but there's a first time for everything. The Cougars came up short against the Patriots, falling 19-5. The Cougars have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Kayla Lagowy was cooking despite her team's loss, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. Isabella Boyle also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.

Northampton pushed their record up to 10-3 with the win, which was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.2 runs on average over those games. As for Hazleton Area, their loss was their first in the conference, dropping their conference record down to 4-1 and their overall record down to 5-3.

Everything went Northampton's way against Hazleton Area in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, as Northampton made off with a 12-1 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Konkrete Kids since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.