Softball Game Preview: Dardanelle Sand Lizards vs. Mena Bearcats

The Dardanelle Sand Lizards will head out on the road to challenge the Mena Bearcats at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Dardanelle will be strutting in after a win while Mena will be coming in after a loss.

Dardanelle barely beat Ozark the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Sand Lizards' pitchers stepped up to hand the Hillbillies a 15-0 shutout on Thursday. That 15 run margin sets a new team best for the Sand Lizards this season.

Meanwhile, Mena has relied on a stalwart pitchers averaging 3.13 runs allowed per game, but that average took a hit on Monday. They lost 16-6 to Booneville. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat Mena has suffered since March 6th.

Abi Koppein put in work no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out nine over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 11 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI.

In other batting news, Emmi Hensley was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Emma Owen, who went 2-for-3 with one run.

The victory made it two in a row for Dardanelle and bumps their season record up to 9-10. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.0 runs over those games. As for Mena, their loss ended a seven-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 12-4.

Dardanelle suffered a grim 10-3 defeat to Mena in their previous meeting last Monday. Can the Sand Lizards avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.