Softball Recap: Madison Central's Loss Ends Four-Game Winning Streak on the Road

Madison Central dropped their record down to 16-4 on Friday, which also ended the team's four-game streak of wins on the road. They came up short against the Ballard Bruins, falling 10-1. The pitching woes were uncharacteristic for the Indians, who until this matchup were averaging 3.55 runs allowed.

Madison Central saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Lina Guerra, who went 2-for-3 with one double.

As for Ballard, they are on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last nine games. That's provided a massive bump to their 18-10 record this season. The result was nothing new for Ballard, who have now won 13 contests by six runs or more so far this season.

On Ballard's side, Shelby James made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run over seven innings pitched. James was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three runs, one double, and one RBI. That's the most hits she has posted since back in April.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Payton Downey, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two doubles. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Lucy Strobel, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.

Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Madison Central will head out to take on Assumption at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. The Indians' pitchers better be ready for this one: the Rockets have averaged an impressive 7.9 runs per game this season. As for Ballard, they will head out on the road to face off against Henry County at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday.