Softball Preview: Rifle Bears vs. Durango Demons
Rifle has enjoyed a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will face off against the Durango Demons at 1:00 p.m. on Friday. Rifle is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.9 runs per game this season.
Last Tuesday, Rifle came up short against Eagle Valley and fell 5-2.
Olivia Gordon spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and one unearned) runs on seven hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Rifle saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Rylan Petree, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4. Petree is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now stolen at least one in the last four games she's played dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, after some red-hot attacks at the plate in their last three matches, Durango finally came back down to earth on Saturday. They lost 9-2 to Palisade. The loss continues a trend for the Demons in their matchups with the Bulldogs: they've now lost six in a row.
Rifle now has a losing record at 7-8. As for Durango, they now also have a losing record at 7-8.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Rifle has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.4 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Durango struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.3. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Rifle took their win against Durango in their previous matchup back in October of 2023 by a conclusive 15-6. The rematch might be a little tougher for Rifle since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
