Atwater is on a three-game streak of home wins, while Orestimba is on a four-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Falcons will host the Warriors at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
It was a Battle of the Birds when Atwater duked it out with Central Valley on Friday. The Falcons came out on top against the Hawks by a score of 10-6.
Madi Hiler was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Mia Hendrickson was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one triple and two RBI.
Atwater hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Central Valley struck out six times.
Meanwhile, Orestimba got the win against Hilmar on Tuesday by a conclusive 18-7. The Warriors might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won ten matches by six runs or more this season.
Ellery Gustafson was a major factor no matter where she played. She pitched four innings while giving up just one earned (and four unearned) runs off six hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one walk in eight consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Sophia Machado, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, three doubles, and two RBI. Those three doubles gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Rae Oliveros, who went 1-for-2 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base.
Atwater has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six games. That's provided a nice bump to their 21-6 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.2 runs over those games. As for Orestimba, their win bumped their record up to 13-11.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Atwater hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .355. However, it's not like Orestimba struggles in that department as they've averaged .352. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
