The Cascade Champions are packing up and heading out on the road for their first away game this season: they will take on the Columbia Central Lions at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are strolling into their matches after big wins in their previous games.
Cascade's pitching crew heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Thursday. Everything went their way against Cannon County as Cascade made off with an 8-0 victory. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Champions.
Jocelyn Laughlin made a splash no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run over six innings pitched. Laughlin was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.
In other batting news, Ella Thompson and Christina Bilbro did most of the damage at the plate: Thompson scored two runs while going 2-for-4, while Bilbro scored a run while going 2-for-4. Alayna Cruse was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
Cascade kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That's the most hits they've posted since back in March of 2024.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Columbia Central). They blew past East Hickman County 24-1 on Thursday. The Lions haven't had any issues with the Eagles recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive win against them.
Like Cascade, Columbia Central also got a great game from a two-way player: Ruthie Lindsey. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. Lindsey was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while getting on base in three of her five plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Molly Underwood, who scored four runs and stole a base while going 4-for-4. Underwood is crushing it when it comes to hits: she's got at least three every time she's taken the field this season. Another player making a difference was Janiya Lyles, who scored three runs and stole Two bases. while going 1-for-1.
Columbia Central's record now sits at 4-0. As for Cascade, they now have a winning record of 2-1.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Cascade hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .357. However, it's not like Columbia Central struggles in that department as they've averaged .591. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
