Softball Preview: Bountiful RedHawks vs. Box Elder Bees
Bountiful is on a ten-game streak of home wins (dating back to last season), while Box Elder is on a six-game streak of away wins (dating back to last season): one of those streaks is about to end. The Bountiful RedHawks will take on the Box Elder Bees at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams have allowed few runs on average, (Bountiful: 1.9, Box Elder: 3.1) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Last Friday, Bountiful was able to grind out a solid win over West Jordan, taking the game 6-3.
Ella Miller spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on four hits and racked up 13 Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 14 consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, Bountiful let Athena Tongaonevai and Claire Yates loose on the outfield. Tongaonevai went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a double, while Yates scored a run and stole two bases while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances. The team also got some help courtesy of Jaci Alvey, who scored a run while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Box Elder can now show off nine landslide victories after their most recent contest on Thursday. They never let Clearfield onto the board and left with a 10-0 victory.
Kellie Malan made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. Malan was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Alexis Hales and Justy Pritchard did most of the damage at the plate: Hales scored a run while going 2-for-3, while Pritchard scored a run and stole two bases while going 1-for-3. Izibel Mason was another key contributor, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-3.
Bountiful's win bumped their record up to 17-2. As for Box Elder, they are on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six games, which provided a nice bump to their 14-4 record this season.
Tuesday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Bountiful has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .498. However, it's not like Box Elder struggles in that department as they've averaged .485. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Bountiful was able to grind out a solid victory over Box Elder in their previous matchup back in March, winning 5-0. Does Bountiful have another victory up their sleeve, or will Box Elder turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
