Softball Game Preview: Parkland Trojans vs. Pleasant Valley Bears

The Parkland Trojans are taking a road trip to take on the Pleasant Valley Bears at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Pleasant Valley took a loss in their last match and will be looking to turn the tables on Parkland, who comes in off a win.

Parkland took a loss when they played away from home on Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. Everything went their way against East Stroudsburg South as they made off with a 9-1 victory. Considering the Trojans have won four contests by more than seven runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.

Allison Hunsberger was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run over seven innings pitched. Hunsberger was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 3-for-4.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Maria Moore, who went 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.

Meanwhile, Pleasant Valley entered their game against Stroudsburg on Wednesday without any home losses, but there's a first time for everything. The Bears lost 10-3 to the Mountaineers.

Rylan Knapp was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-2 with one home run and three RBI. That home run was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Katie Van Schoyck, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two doubles.

Parkland's record is now 4-5. As for Pleasant Valley, their defeat dropped their record down to 5-4.

Friday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Parkland hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .367. However, it's not like Pleasant Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .387. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.

Parkland came up short against Pleasant Valley in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, falling 5-2. Can the Trojans avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.