Softball Game Preview: D'Hanis Cowboys vs. Leakey Eagles

For the second straight game, D'Hanis will face off against Leakey. The Cowboys will challenge the Eagles at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. D'Hanis has given up an average of 11.6 runs per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

D'Hanis heads in on the heels of a playoff match on Wednesday. They lost 26-4 to Leakey.

For Leakey's part, Anna (AK) Fortner made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off five hits. Fortner has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 14 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in all five of her plate appearances with one stolen base and one run.

In other batting news, Kaylee Preece was a standout: she got on base in four of her five plate appearances with four runs, two stolen bases, and two RBI. Those four runs gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Angela Lopez, who got on base in four of her five plate appearances with four runs, two stolen bases, and one RBI.

Leakey kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. They are a perfect 9-0 when they post 11 or more hits.

The victory (which was Leakey's sixth in a row) raised their record to 20-13-1. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 18.8 runs over those games. As for D'Hanis, their loss dropped their record down to 9-11.