Softball Game Preview: Service Cougars vs. Colony Knights

Cougars

Runs

05/08/25 vs West Anchorage	2
05/05/25 vs Dimond	5
05/03/25 vs Bartlett	13
05/01/25 vs Lathrop	13
05/01/25 @ West Anchorage	12
+ 5 more games

The Service Cougars will be taking part in a tournament against the Colony Knights at 6:45 p.m. on Friday. Service is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.1 runs per game this season.

Service is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Alaska's top teams: West Anchorage, who was ranked 16th at the time (Service was ranked eighth). The Cougars had just enough and edged out the Eagles 2-0. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Cougars have posted since April 12th.

McKinley Fuller was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.

Meanwhile, after some red-hot attacks at the plate in their last four matchups, Colony finally came back down to earth on Thursday. They came up short against South Anchorage, falling 6-0. The Knights' loss signaled the end of their five-game winning streak.

Service is on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five games. That's provided a massive bump to their 6-4 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.6 runs on average over those games. As for Colony, their defeat dropped their record down to 22-6-1.

Colony's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Friday. Service has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.5 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Colony, though, as they've been averaging only 4.1 strikeouts. Will Service keep running through batters, or will the Knights buck the trend?

Service couldn't quite get it done against Colony in their previous meeting back in May of 2024 as they fell 6-3. Can the Cougars avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.