Softball Game Preview: Chico Panthers vs. Las Plumas Thunderbirds

Chico has gone 7-1-1 against Las Plumas recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Panthers will take on the Thunderbirds at 2:00 p.m. Chico's pitching crew has only allowed 4.1 runs per game this season, so Las Plumas' hitters will have their work cut out for them.

Chico heads in on the heels of a playoff contest on Tuesday. They fell 6-3 to Pleasant Valley.

Addi Hosier

Stolen Base

05/20/25 @ Pleasant Valley	2
05/13/25 vs Foothill	1
05/09/25 @ Enterprise	2
05/06/25 @ Pleasant Valley	1
05/02/25 vs Red Bluff	3

Addi Hosier was cooking despite her team's loss, getting on base in all three of her plate appearances with two stolen bases and one run. She has been hot, having posted at least one stolen base the last five times she's played. Emily Babler also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.

Meanwhile, Las Plumas unfortunately witnessed the end of their six-game winning streak on Tuesday. They lost 10-0 to Foothill. The Thunderbirds were red-hot at the plate heading into the match (they scored no less than ten runs in the four games prior), but the Cougars' pitchers proved too tough.

Chico's loss dropped their record down to 17-12. As for Las Plumas, they suffered their first home defeat, dropping their record down to 24-4.

Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Chico hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .332. However, it's not like Las Plumas struggles in that department as they've averaged .397. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.

Everything went Chico's way against Las Plumas when the teams last played back in April of 2023, as Chico made off with a 9-2 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.