Softball Preview: Ponderosa Mustangs vs. Bear Creek Bears
The Ponderosa Mustangs will square off against the Bear Creek Bears at 9:00 a.m. on Friday. Ponderosa is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.5 runs per game this season.
Ponderosa took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. They had just enough and edged Vista Ridge out 9-7.
Joey Qualteri made a big impact no matter where she played. She struck out six batters over 6.2 innings while giving up just one earned (and six unearned) runs off ten hits. With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 5.1 innings per game. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, Avery Britt was excellent, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Isabelle Hall, who scored a run while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Bear Creek made easy work of Dakota Ridge on Wednesday and carried off a 13-1 win. The matchup marked the Bears' most dominant victory of the season so far.
Isabella Orozco and Aaliyah Benavidez did most of the damage at the plate: Orozco scored a run while going 2-for-4, while Benavidez scored two runs while going 2-for-4. Benavidez also put up a double, which washer first of the season. Another player making a difference was Sarah Moore, who went 1-for-3 with a triple, a run, and an RBI.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Bear Creek was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .464. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Dakota Ridge only posted a batting average of .158.
Ponderosa's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 5-3. As for Bear Creek, their victory bumped their record up to 4-2.
Friday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Ponderosa has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of 0. However, it's not like Bear Creek 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.
Everything went Ponderosa's way against Bear Creek in their previous matchup back in September of 2021 as Ponderosa made off with a 16-1 win. Does Ponderosa have another victory up their sleeve, or will Bear Creek turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
