The Hillcrest Huskies will venture away from home to square off against the West Panthers at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a three-game winning streak alive.
Hillcrest proved they can win big last Tuesday (they won by six) and on Tuesday they proved they can win the close ones too. They won by a run and slipped past Hunter 4-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Huskies have posted since April 22, 2025.
Gracie Pulham
| 04/14/26 vs Hunter | 1 |
| 04/07/26 vs Taylorsville | 2 |
| 03/31/26 vs West Jordan | 0 |
| 03/30/26 @ Tooele | 2 |
Gracie Pulham made a splash no matter where she played. She struck out eight batters over seven innings while giving up three earned runs off six hits (and only one walk). She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
Pulham wasn't the only one making solid contact as six players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Bailey Terry, who went 1-for-2 with one run and one double.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when West challenged West Jordan on Tuesday. The Panthers had just enough and edged out the Jaguars 13-12. That's two games straight that the Panthers have won by just one run.
Angelys Tapusoa was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Tina Tuakiapimahu, who went 2-for-4 with three runs and two RBI.
West kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
The win got West back to even at 5-5. As for Hillcrest, their record is now 11-5.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Hillcrest has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .462. However, it's not like West struggles in that department as they've averaged .433. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hillcrest got the 'W' when the teams last played back in March against West by a conclusive 11-1 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Huskies since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
