Centennial hasn't had much luck against Kuna recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Patriots are taking a road trip to face off against the Kavemen at 5:00 p.m. Centennial has given up an average of 9.9 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Centennial is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Idaho's top teams: Owyhee, who was ranked first at the time (Centennial was ranked 23rd). The Patriots took a 16-11 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Storm on Tuesday.
Avery Simpson was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Kuna, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Friday. They blew past Meridian 9-2 on Tuesday. The result was nothing new for the Kavemen, who have now won six matches by seven runs or more so far this season.
Rylee Mangum spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on three hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Elle Wemhoff, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and one stolen base. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Remington Quick, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple.
Centennial's loss dropped their record down to 8-7. As for Kuna, their win was their first in the conference, bumping their conference record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 7-8.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Centennial hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .344. However, it's not like Kuna struggles in that department as they've averaged .335. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Centennial was able to grind out a solid victory over Kuna when the teams last played back in April of 2024, winning 13-10. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Patriots since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
