The Parkland Matadors will take on the El Dorado Aztecs at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Parkland is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.5 runs per game this season.
Tuesday just wasn't the day for Parkland's offense. They fell just short of Del Valle by a score of 2-0 on Tuesday. The Matadors haven't had much luck with the Conquistadores recently, as the team has come up short the last seven times they've met.
Meanwhile, while El Dorado put up some runs on Tuesday, the same can't be said for Horizon. El Dorado put the hurt on Horizon with a sharp 10-0 victory. Considering the Aztecs have won ten games by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Vanessa Triana tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. What's more, she gave up only three hits, the fewest she's had since back in February.
On the hitting side, Maya Fernandez was a standout: she went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Nevaeh Matsuda, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
El Dorado always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .690. The last time their OBP was this high was back in February.
El Dorado is on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last eight matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 15-4 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.1 runs over those games. Parkland's loss was their first in the district, dropping their district record down to 2-1 and their overall record down to 13-11.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Parkland hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .423. However, it's not like El Dorado struggles in that department as they've averaged .472. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Parkland came up short against El Dorado in their previous matchup back in March of 2024, falling 10-6. Will Parkland have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
