Softball Game Preview: Oakland Patriots vs. Walker Valley Mustangs

The Oakland Patriots will head out on the road to square off against the Walker Valley Mustangs on Friday. Neither Oakland nor Walker Valley posted many runs in their last games, so it might be the pitching crews that decide this one.

The scorekeeper got an easy start on Wednesday as neither Oakland nor Stewarts Creek made it on the board until the fifth inning. The Patriots took a 6-1 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Red Hawks. The Patriots' loss signaled the end of their four-game winning streak.

Taylor Minnick spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and four unearned) runs on 11 hits.

Jada Ellison

Stolen Base

05/14/25 vs Stewarts Creek	1
05/12/25 vs Wilson Central	2
05/08/25 vs Blackman	2
05/06/25 vs Blackman	3
05/05/25 vs Rockvale	2
+ 5 more games

At the plate, Oakland saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Jada Ellison, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one run. Ellison is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last ten games she's played.

Meanwhile, Walker Valley came tearing into Wednesday's game with seven straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 3.7 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They never let the Hurricanes get on the board and left with a 1-0 victory.

The result came thanks to Olivia Presswood's shutout, as she gave up just two hits and racked up nine Ks.

Walker Valley's win was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 32-8. The road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.8 runs on average over those games. As for Oakland, their defeat dropped their record down to 24-6-2.

Oakland's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's contest. The Patriots have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Walker Valley, though, as they've been averaging only 1.1 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Oakland continue to outrun the ball? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.