Softball Game Preview: Ryan Raiders vs. Grand Prairie Gophers

The Ryan Raiders will take on the Grand Prairie Gophers in a tournament on Thursday. Ryan is coming into the game hot, having won their last seven games.

Grand Prairie's hitters are going to have their work cut out for them on Thursday: Ryan hadn't allowed a single run the last three times they've hit the field. Ryan blew past MacArthur 17-0 on Tuesday. Considering the Raiders have won seven matchups by more than six runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.

Tori Grider made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Grider was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one double and one RBI.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Olivia Buettner, who went 2-for-3 with three runs, four RBI, and one double. Kayla Martin was another key player, scoring three runs while going 3-for-3.

Ryan hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now struck out at most four strikeouts in six consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, Tuesday just wasn't the day for Grand Prairie's offense. They lost 13-0 to Richland on Tuesday. The game marked the first time this season in which the Gophers were not able to get on the board.

Grand Prairie's defeat dropped their record down to 4-6. As for Ryan, their record is now 9-1.