Softball Game Preview: Minden Crimson Tide vs. Junction City Dragons

The Minden Crimson Tide will challenge the Junction City Dragons at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.

While Minden's win against Castor wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Crimson Tide sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 6-5 victory over the Tigers on Tuesday. The Crimson Tide haven't had any issues with the Tigers recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.

Lindsay Ryan spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and four unearned) runs on six hits and racked up six Ks.

On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Leigha Kennon Gilbert, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4. What's more, she posted two doubles, the most she's had since back in February. The team also got some help courtesy of Lizzie Balkom, who scored a run while going 2-for-3.

Meanwhile, Junction City posted their closest victory since April 25, 2024 on Tuesday. They had just enough and edged out Magnet Cove 9-7. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Dragons.

Junction City's win bumped their record up to 5-9. As for Minden, their victory bumped their record up to 12-17-1.