Baseball Recap: Paintsville Triumphs

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Previous 5 Games

05/08/26 - Away	6-1 W
03/19/26 - Home	5-1 W
05/03/25 - Away	2-3 L
03/16/24 - Home	0-7 L
05/14/18 - Away	13-2 W

Knott County Central typically has all the answers at home, but on Friday Paintsville proved too difficult a challenge. They came out on top against the Patriots by a score of 6-1. That's the second time they've managed to beat them this season, as they also won 5-1 back in March.

Kruz Howell spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on four hits.

At the plate, the team relied heavily on Shane Blair, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBI and one double. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in May of 2025. Luke Stratton was another key player, going 1-for-3 with three runs.

They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Paintsville kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They are 6-1 when they post 11 or more hits.

The victory made it two in a row for Paintsville and bumps their season record up to 15-11. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.5 runs over those games. As for Knott County Central, they are on a four-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 18-10-1.

Looking ahead, Paintsville will look to defend their home field on Saturday against Martin County at 10:00 a.m. As for Knott County Central, they will take on Danville at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.