The North Central Knights will head out on the road to challenge the Central Eagles at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. North Central is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 6.7 runs per game this season.
North Central's pitching crew heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Thursday. They came out on top against Camden by a score of 3-0.
Mackenzie Melton spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just zero earned runs on five hits and racked up ten Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, North Central saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Addie Bittner, who went 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs, and a double. The team also got some help courtesy of Emily Rumple, who went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
Meanwhile, Central came into Wednesday's matchup having lost ten straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They were the clear victor by a 13-3 margin over Great Falls on Wednesday. The high-scoring effort was just what Central needed considering they were shutout in their previous match.
Ava McManus tossed a big game, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits over five innings pitched.
On the hitting side, Kinsey Mangum was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Samaria Knotts, who scored two runs while going 2-for-2.
North Central's victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 12-7. As for Central, their win ended a four-game drought at home and bumped them up to 4-15.
Central's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Friday. North Central has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Central, though, as they've been averaging only 3. Will North Central keep running through batters, or will Central buck the trend?
North Central was able to grind out a solid victory over Central in their previous matchup back in March, winning 9-4. The rematch might be a little tougher for North Central 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
