Softball Recap: Taft's Luck Changes for the Better on Tuesday

Taft had lost six games straight , but after bumping their record up to 9-10 on Tuesday that streak is in the rearview. They won by a run and slipped past the Shafter Generals 6-5. That result was just more of the same for these two, as the Wildcats also won the last time the pair played back in April of 2024.

Rilynne Stenderup made a splash while hitting and pitching. She pitched seven innings while giving up four earned (and one unearned) runs off eight hits. Stenderup was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March.

Heaven Laux

Runs Batted In

04/22/25 @ Shafter	3
04/14/25 vs Porterville	1
04/01/25 @ Chavez	1
03/20/25 vs Kennedy	3

In other batting news, Jaycee Edgar and Heaven Laux did most of the damage at the plate: Edgar went 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double, while Laux went 1-for-4 with three RBI and one run. That's the most RBI Laux has posted since back in March.

As for Shafter, their defeat was their first in the league, dropping their league record down to 6-1 and their overall record down to 14-6-2. It was the first time this season that they let down their fans at home.

Like Taft, Shafter also got a great game from a two-way player: Maddison Ortiz. On the mound, she struck out six batters over seven innings while giving up four earned (and two unearned) runs off nine hits. Ortiz has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.

Ortiz wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Cassidy Torres, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI.

Taft will have a chance to go back-to-back against Shafter: the pair's next game is a rematch scheduled at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday.