The Bauxite Miners will take on the Atkins Red Devils at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Atkins took a loss in their last game and will be looking to turn the tables on Bauxite, who comes in off a win.
Bauxite took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They never let ESTEM get on the board and left with a 21-0 victory. The result was nothing new for the Miners, who have now won seven contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Bianca Battiston was a major factor no matter where she played. She struck out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Battiston was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI. Those two hits gave her a new career-high.
Kim Smith
| 04/07/26 vs ESTEM | 4 |
| 03/31/26 vs Quitman | 3 |
| 04/17/25 @ Cabot | 2 |
| 04/03/26 @ Mills University Studies | 1 |
| 04/29/25 vs Malvern | 1 |
In other batting news, Kim Smith was excellent, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, four RBI, and two doubles. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Brielle Luna, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, three doubles, and three RBI.
Bauxite kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 22 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in three consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Tuesday just wasn't the day for Atkins' offense. They came up short against Mayflower on Tuesday, falling 10-0. The game marked the first time this season in which the Red Devils were not able to get on the board.
Atkins saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Azzy Ketchum, who went 2-for-3 with one double.
Bauxite's win was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-8. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.6 runs on average over those games. As for Atkins, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-8.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Bauxite hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .439. However, it's not like Atkins struggles in that department as they've averaged .345. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
