Softball Preview: Thornton Trojans vs. Westminster Wolves
The Thornton Trojans will head out to take on the Westminster Wolves at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Thornton is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.3 runs per game this season.
Thornton will head into Saturday's game ready to turn things around: they couldn't quite beat Denver South on Saturday, but the two-run margin was a huge improvement compared to the eight-run loss they were dealt on Monday. Thornton fell just short of Denver South by a score of 11-9. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Trojans have suffered since September 1, 2023.
Raea Fisher made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and scored a run and stole a base while going 3-for-4. Payton Lopez was another key player, going 1-for-4 with a triple and an RBI.
Meanwhile, Westminster fought the good fight in their extra-innings match against Prairie View on Thursday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell 9-5 to the Thunderhawks. The Wolves have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Ryanne Martin spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and four unearned) runs on seven hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't pitched less than five innings in eight consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Magaly Santacruz was cooking despite her team's loss, going 4-for-5 with a triple, two RBI, and a run. The team also got some help courtesy of Eva Muniz, who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in three of her five plate appearances.
Even though they lost, Westminster kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 16 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 5.5 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last five matchups they've averaged 12.6.
Thornton's loss was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season, which dropped their record down to 1-9. As for Westminster, their record now sits at 4-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Monday as neither team is afraid to steal. Thornton has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.1 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Westminster struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5.4. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Everything went Thornton's way against Westminster when the teams last played back in October of 2019 as Thornton made off with a 21-14 win. Does Thornton have another victory up their sleeve, or will Westminster turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
