Softball Game Preview: Cleburne Yellowjackets vs. Arlington Heights Yellowjackets

Cleburne will take on Arlington Heights at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Cleburne has three straight victories, Arlington Heights has three straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.

Last Thursday, Cleburne earned a 9-5 win over Seguin.

Faith Evans spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and two unearned) runs on eight hits. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 17 consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Cleburne got a big performance out of Jaycie Jones, who went 1-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. Madison Glover was another key player, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs.

They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Cleburne kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in four consecutive matchups.

Meanwhile, Arlington Heights lost 15-1 to Venus on Monday.

Cleburne's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 11-16-1. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.7 runs on average over those games. As for Arlington Heights, their loss dropped their record down to 8-13.

Cleburne took their victory against Arlington Heights when the teams last played back in February of 2023 by a conclusive 9-2 score. Does Cleburne have another victory up their sleeve, or will Arlington Heights turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.