McMinn Central extended their losing streak (dating back to last season) to 21 on Friday, dropping them down to 0-13. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost an 11-10 heartbreaker at the hands of the Lenoir City Panthers. The Chargers were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Panthers apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in March of 2025.
Riley Thompson made the most of her time in the batter's box despite the final result and fired off two home runs, seven RBI, and three runs while going 5-for-5. Lily Graves was another key player, going 3-for-5 with three runs and one RBI.
As for Lenoir City, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won eight of their last nine contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 13-5 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.2 runs on average over those games.
On Lenoir City's side, Kymbal Williams was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she tossed five innings while giving up three earned runs off six hits. Williams has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kylee Hanson, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three stolen bases, and three runs. Those three stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Sophie Reed, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming matchups. McMinn Central will head out to take on Loudon at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. The Redskins have struggled to contain batters this season (they've allowed eight runs per game on average), something the Chargers will no doubt try to take advantage of. As for Lenoir City, they will square off against Oak Ridge at 6:00 p.m. on Monday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
