Softball Game Preview: El Capitan Vaqueros vs. Valhalla Norsemen

El Capitan is 2-7 against Valhalla since April of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Vaqueros will head out to face off against the Norsemen at 4:00 p.m. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this contest.

El Capitan fell victim to West Hills and their airtight pitching crew on Wednesday. They took a 3-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Wolf Pack. The match marked the first time this year in which the Vaqueros were not able to get on the board.

Addison Higuera spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on five hits.

Meanwhile, Valhalla fought the good fight in their extra-innings game against Steele Canyon on Wednesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Cougars by a score of 4-3. The Norsemen just can't catch a break and have now endured six defeats in a row.

Valhalla also let their pitcher toss all 8.1 innings and she was also dialed-in: Devyn Mack gave up just two earned (and two unearned) runs on 11 hits. Mack has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Natalia Marco was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.

El Capitan's loss dropped their record down to 10-13. As for Valhalla, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-17.

El Capitan beat Valhalla 3-0 in their previous meeting back in April. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Vaqueros since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.