Softball Game Preview: Dakota Valley Panthers vs. West Central Trojans

Dakota Valley hasn't had much luck against West Central recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Panthers will be playing in front of their home fans against the Trojans at 5:00 p.m.

Dakota Valley is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of South Dakota's top teams: Harrisburg, who was ranked second at the time (Dakota Valley was ranked 12th). The Panthers came up short against the Tigers on Friday, falling 9-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest loss the Panthers have suffered since May 17, 2024.

Meanwhile, West Central waltzed into their matchup on Thursday with four straight wins... but they left with five. Everything went their way against the Orioles as they made off with a 13-2 win. The result was nothing new for the Trojans, who have now won nine games by eight runs or more so far this season.

West Central's victory was their 18th straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 14-1. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.8 runs over those games. As for Dakota Valley, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 5-3.

Dakota Valley might still be hurting after the 9-0 defeat they got from West Central in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Will the Panthers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.