Softball Game Preview: South Albany Redhawks vs. Central Panthers

South Albany is 2-8 against Central since May of 2017 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Redhawks will be playing at home against the Panthers at 5:00 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.

South Albany took a 15-run loss the last time they faced off against Crescent Valley, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Redhawks had just enough and edged out the Raiders 18-16. The Redhawks' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.

Maddie Angel

Runs Batted In (Career)

04/16/25 @ Crescent Valley	7
04/30/24 vs Crescent Valley	4
03/15/24 vs Beaverton	3
04/14/25 vs South Salem	2
04/19/24 @ Woodburn	2

Maddie Angel was incredible, firing off two home runs, seven RBI, and two stolen bases while going 4-for-5. Those seven RBI gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Alicia Martindale, who went 2-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and one triple.

South Albany hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They are 3-1 when they post two or more strikeouts.

Central hadn't beaten Lebanon on the road since April 23, 2019 but that history sure didn't bother them on Monday. The Panthers were the clear victors by a 19-1 margin over the Warriors. The Panthers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four contests by eight runs or more this season.

Central has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six games. That's provided a nice bump to their 5-4 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.7 runs on average over those games. As for South Albany, the victory made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 3-7.

South Albany couldn't quite finish off Central when the teams last played back in April of 2024 and fell 6-4. Will the Redhawks have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.