Hart is 2-8 against Saugus since April of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Hawks will host the Centurions at 3:15 p.m. Hart will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each matchup than the last.
On Tuesday, Hart beat Golden Valley 8-4. That's two games straight that the Hawks have won by exactly four runs.
Jessica Gutierrez
| 04/22/25 vs Golden Valley | 4 |
| 03/25/25 @ Saugus | 3 |
| 03/19/24 vs Castaic | 3 |
| 02/29/24 @ Chaminade | 2 |
| 02/24/24 vs Chaminade | 2 |
Hart let Jessica Gutierrez and Sadie Curtis run wild. Gutierrez went 2-for-4 with one home run and four RBI, while Curtis went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs and one double. Those four RBI gave Gutierrez a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Natalie Williams, who went 2-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Hart always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .559. They are 4-1 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Saugus entered their tilt with West Ranch on Tuesday with nine consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with ten. They walked away with a 6-1 victory over the Wildcats.
Taliya Mata tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run over six innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one walk in five consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Savanna Smith, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three stolen bases and two runs. Another player making a difference was Jordan Shepherd, who went 1-for-4 with one home run and two runs.
Saugus' win was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 20-4. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.4 runs on average over those games. As for Hart, their win bumped their record up to 7-13.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Hart hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .337. However, it's not like Saugus struggles in that department as they've averaged .349. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hart suffered a grim 14-8 defeat to Saugus when the teams last played back in March. Will the Hawks have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
