Softball Preview: Strasburg Indians vs. University Bulldogs
Strasburg is 2-8 against University since September of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Strasburg Indians will face off against the University Bulldogs at 4:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
University is hoping to do what Platte Valley couldn't on Tuesday: put an end to Strasburg's winning streak, which now stands at 12 games. Strasburg never let Platte Valley onto the board and left with a 17-0 win.
Kailey Rushman made a big impact no matter where she played. She tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in eight consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with two runs, a triple, and an RBI.
In other batting news, Strasburg let Madi Olsen and Analeah Loya loose on the outfield. Olsen scored three runs and stole four bases while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances, while Loya went 1-for-1 with two runs, a triple, and a stolen base. Olsen is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now stolen at least one in the last four games she's played dating back to last season. The team also got some help courtesy of Sidnee Bomnskie, who scored a run while going 2-for-2.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Strasburg was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .600. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .308 or higher in ten consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask University). They put the hurt on Resurrection Christian with a sharp 24-3 victory on Tuesday. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the team's high-flying offense, the game also marked the team's biggest win of the season.
Sydney Goetzel made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she tossed three innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. Goetzel was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-5 with a home run and five RBI.
In other batting news, University got a massive performance out of Iliana Martinez, who scored four runs while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Natalie Galindo, who scored two runs while going 3-for-4.
Strasburg pushed their record up to 18-4 with the victory, which was their sixth straight at home. As for University, they have been performing well recently as they've won nine of their last 11 games, which provided a nice bump to their 14-7 record this season.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Strasburg has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of 0. However, it's not like University 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.
Strasburg skirted past University 1-0 in their previous meeting back in September of 2023. The rematch might be a little tougher for Strasburg since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
