Softball Game Preview: Stockton Tigers vs. Ash Grove Pirates

The Stockton Tigers will venture away from home to take on the Ash Grove Pirates at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.

Stockton is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Missouri's top teams: Diamond, who was ranked second at the time (Stockton was ranked sixth). The Tigers fell just short of the Wildcats by a score of 6-4 on Tuesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Tigers have suffered since April 8, 2024.

Ellie Pettit spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and three unearned) runs on ten hits and racked up six Ks. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season.

At the plate, Raelyn Henderson was cooking despite her team's loss, scoring two runs and stealing four bases while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Zoe Rains, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4.

Meanwhile, Ash Grove didn't have quite enough to beat Sarcoxie on Tuesday and fell 16-15.

Ash Grove's loss was their sixth straight on the road, which dropped their record down to 1-7. As for Stockton, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-3.

Stockton came up short against Ash Grove when the teams last played back in April of 2024, falling 7-2. Can the Tigers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.