Softball Game Preview: Murphysboro Red Devils vs. Massac County Patriots

Murphysboro is on a three-game streak of home losses, and Massac County a four-game streak of away losses. However, someone's due for a change in luck on Friday. The Murphysboro Red Devils will host the Massac County Patriots at 4:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, Murphysboro came up short against Mt. Vernon and fell 4-1.

Ayla Smith spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and one unearned) runs on three hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 13 consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Murphysboro saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Macie Cunningham, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and one RBI.

Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Massac County ultimately got the result they hoped for on Thursday. They won by a run and slipped past Harrisburg 8-7. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last five times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.

The team relied heavily on Hannah Edwards, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Sadie Kaylor, who went 2-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.

The victory snapped Massac County's losing streak at three games and leaves them with a 5-12 record. As for Murphysboro, their defeat dropped their record down to 5-16.

Everything went Murphysboro's way against Massac County when the teams last played back in April, as Murphysboro made off with a 15-3 win. Will the Red Devils repeat their success, or do the Patriots have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.