Softball Preview: Onaga Buffaloes vs. Centralia Panthers
Onaga has enjoyed a six-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will challenge the Centralia Panthers at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Onaga is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 9.4 runs per game this season.
In what's become a running theme this season, Onaga gave their fans yet another huge win on Friday. They were the clear victor by a 10-2 margin over Troy.
Willow Hochstedler spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on seven hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Jadyn Haskin was incredible, going 2-for-4 with two triples, two runs, and an RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Emmarsyn Fordham, who scored two runs while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Centralia was not able to break out of their rough patch on Monday as the team picked up their fourth straight defeat. They took a 7-3 hit to the loss column at the hands of Valley Heights. That's two games in a row now that Centralia has lost by exactly four runs.
Centralia also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Morgan Allen gave up five earned (and two unearned) runs on three hits and racked up seven Ks.
At the plate, Centralia saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Hayden Kramer, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-3.
Onaga has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five games, which provided a nice bump to their 10-4 record this season. As for Centralia, their loss dropped their record down to 7-7.
Tuesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Onaga has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .459. However, it's not like Centralia struggles in that department as they've averaged .442. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps