Softball Preview: Huntington Huntsmen vs. Paint Valley Bearcats
The Huntington Huntsmen will head out on the road to square off against the Paint Valley Bearcats at 5:15 p.m. on Friday. Huntington is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 8.2 runs per game this season.
In what's become a running theme this season, Huntington gave their fans yet another huge victory on Thursday. They were the clear victor by a 12-1 margin over Washington. The win made it back-to-back victories for Huntington.
Mackenzie Paugh made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits (and not a single walk). Paugh has been consistent recently: she hasn't pitched less than six innings in five consecutive pitching appearances. Paugh was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, Huntington let Allie Baker and Savannah Bushatz loose on the outfield. Baker went 4-for-5 with a home run, three RBI, and two runs, while Bushatz scored three runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-5. Bushatz is on a roll when it comes to hits, as she's now hit three or more in the last five games she's played. Another player making a difference was Taylor Tisdale, who scored a run while going 2-for-5.
Meanwhile, Paint Valley was not able to break out of their rough patch on Wednesday as the team picked up their 13th straight loss. They took a 7-2 hit to the loss column at the hands of Adena.
Kasarah Cantrell spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and three unearned) runs on five hits.
On the hitting side, Paint Valley saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kyla Littler, who went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
Huntington's win bumped their record up to 12-9. As for Paint Valley, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-17.
Paint Valley's pitching crew has a tough task ahead of them: Huntington has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 11.2 hits per game. It's a different story for Paint Valley, though, as they've been averaging 10.6. Given Huntington's sizable advantage in that area, Paint Valley will need to find a way to close that gap.
Huntington took their victory against Paint Valley when the teams last played on April 10th by a conclusive 13-1. The rematch might be a little tougher for Huntington since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
