Softball Game Preview: New Athens Yellow Jackets vs. Trico Pioneers

The New Athens Yellow Jackets will face off against the Trico Pioneers at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. New Athens is coming into the match on a three-game losing streak.

On Thursday, New Athens didn't have quite enough to beat Dupo and fell 2-1.

New Athens saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Carinne Darin, who went 1-for-3 with one triple and one RBI.

Meanwhile, Trico posted their closest victory since May 13, 2024 on Thursday. They skirted past Vienna 5-4. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Pioneers.

Zoe Bennett spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and three unearned) runs on three hits.

At the plate, Hayleigh Franklin was a standout: she went 2-for-4 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run. Another player making a difference was Jayci Casten, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.

Trico's win was their 18th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 8-7. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.6 runs on average over those games. As for New Athens, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-6.

New Athens suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Trico in their previous meeting back in May of 2021. Will the Yellow Jackets have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.