Softball Preview: St. Albans Red Dragons vs. Cabell Midland Knights
St. Albans is on a seven-game streak of home wins, while Cabell Midland is on a 11-game streak of away wins (dating back to last season): one of those streaks is about to end. The St. Albans Red Dragons will take on the Cabell Midland Knights at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
St. Albans is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of West Virginia's top teams: George Washington, who was ranked 19th in their home state at the time (St. Albans was ranked 22nd). St. Albans put the hurt on George Washington with a sharp 10-1 victory on Tuesday.
Ava Bentley made a splash while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. Bentley was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kiersten Lacy, who fired off two home runs, three runs, and four RBI while going 3-for-3. Another player making a difference was Sydney Young, who went 1-for-2 with a home run, two runs, and a stolen base.
Meanwhile, Cabell Midland got the win against George Washington on Monday by a conclusive 16-3.
Cabell Midland also got a great performance from Audrea Watts as she struck out seven batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits (and only one walk). Watts has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in five consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Quinn Ballengee was incredible, firing off two home runs, four runs, and four RBI while going 4-for-4. Rebecca Conrad was another key contributor, going 2-for-3 with a home run, four RBI, and two runs.
St. Albans' win bumped their record up to 10-3. As for Cabell Midland, their victory bumped their record up to 15-2.
Wednesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. St. Albans has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .448. However, it's not like Cabell Midland struggles in that department as they've averaged .498. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
St. Albans came up short against Cabell Midland when the teams last played back in April of 2023, falling 11-8. Will St. Albans have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
