Softball Game Preview: Middletown Mustangs vs. St. Helena Saints

Middletown hasn't had much luck against St. Helena recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Mustangs will face off against the Saints at 4:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

Middletown made up a huge gap compared to their last game against Lower Lake, but they still couldn't quite topple them. The Mustangs blew past the Trojans 9-1 on Friday. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Mustangs as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.

Meanwhile, St. Helena entered their tilt with Kelseyville on Thursday with four consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with five. They were the clear victors by a 12-2 margin over the Knights. That's two games straight that the Saints have won by exactly ten runs.

Tahlia Smith and Ada Blanton were a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, Smith pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Meanwhile, Blanton didn't allow a single earned run over four innings pitched. Smith has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances. At bat, Smith scored four runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-3, while Blanton scored three runs while going 3-for-4. Those three runs gave Blanton a new career-high.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Alexis Lund, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run, two runs, and one double. Emily Glakeler was another key player, going a perfect 4-for-4 with four RBI and two doubles.

St. Helena kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least ten hits in five consecutive games.

St. Helena's record now sits at 9-4. As for Middletown, they now have a winning record of 4-3.

Middletown couldn't quite get it done against St. Helena when the teams last played back in April of 2024 as they fell 9-4. Can the Mustangs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.