Softball Preview: Cherokee Trail Cougars vs. Eaglecrest Raptors
Cherokee Trail is 8-2 against Eaglecrest since September of 2019, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Tuesday. The Cherokee Trail Cougars will be playing in front of their home fans against the Eaglecrest Raptors at 4:15 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Eaglecrest is hoping to do what Smoky Hill couldn't on Monday: put an end to Cherokee Trail's winning streak, which now stands at ten games. Cherokee Trail was the clear victor by a 13-3 margin over Smoky Hill.
Sydney Cobb was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she pitched 1.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive pitching appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with a triple and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Tayah Burton, who scored two runs and stole four bases while going 2-for-3. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now stolen at least one in the last 15 games she's played dating back to last season. Another player making a difference was Kylie Twilt, who scored two runs while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Cherokee Trail was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .556. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .300 or higher in ten consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Eaglecrest got the win against Smoky Hill last Saturday by a conclusive 13-1. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Raptors.
Alyssa Vallejos looked comfortable as she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out 11 over four innings pitched. What's more, she also racked up no strikeouts, the fewestshe's had in her last four games.
On the hitting side, Kaitlyn Hendrian was incredible, going 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Chessa Reid, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-2.
Cherokee Trail's win was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 13-2. As for Eaglecrest, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests, which provided a nice bump to their 10-5 record this season.
Tuesday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Cherokee Trail has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of 0. However, it's not like Eaglecrest struggles in that department as they've averaged 0. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Cherokee Trail took their victory against Eaglecrest when the teams last played back in October of 2023 by a conclusive 15-5. Will Cherokee Trail repeat their success, or does Eaglecrest have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
