Softball Game Preview: Century Diamondbacks vs. Pocatello Thunder

For the second straight game, Century will face off against Pocatello. The Diamondbacks will head out to challenge the Thunder at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The squads are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Century has struggled recently with eight losses in a row, while Pocatello will arrive with 11 straight victories.

Pocatello hit Century with a ten-run sixth inning on Tuesday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Diamondbacks lost 11-1 to the Thunder.

For Pocatello's part, Charlie Naylor spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on four hits and racked up nine Ks. Naylor has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.

At the plate, the team relied heavily on Oakley Hirschi, who went 3-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and one double. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in May of 2024. Another player making a difference was Azlin Bullock, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with one stolen base and one run.

Pocatello always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .516. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Century only posted an OBP of .333.

Pocatello's win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 19-4. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.5 runs on average over those games. As for Century, their defeat dropped their record down to 8-16.

The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Century has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Pocatello struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.