Softball Game Preview: Gilbert Tigers vs. Highland Hawks

For the second straight game, Gilbert will face off against Highland. The Tigers will venture away from home to square off against the Hawks at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Gilbert has given up an average of 9.5 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Tuesday just wasn't the day for Gilbert's offense. They lost 12-0 to Highland on Tuesday. The Tigers haven't had much luck with the Hawks recently, as the team has come up short the last eight times they've met.

For Highland's part, Kennedie Nelson looked comfortable as she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over four innings pitched. Nelson has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.

At the plate, the team relied heavily on Layla Napoli, who fired off two home runs, five RBI, and three runs while going 3-for-4. Those five RBI gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Karsyn Norton, who went 2-for-4 with two triples, two runs, and two RBI.

Highland kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in eight consecutive matchups.

Highland is on a roll lately: they've won 11 of their last 13 contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 18-8 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.3 runs over those games. As for Gilbert, their loss dropped their record down to 9-16.