Softball Game Preview: La Mirada Matadores vs. Gahr Gladiators

The La Mirada Matadores will face off against the Gahr Gladiators at 3:15 p.m. on Thursday. La Mirada's pitching crew has only allowed 3.5 runs per game this season, so Gahr's hitters will have their work cut out for them.

La Mirada came out on top against Paramount on Tuesday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run second inning. The Matadores took their matchup against the Pirates 8-3.

Meanwhile, Gahr was able to grind out a solid win over Mayfair on Tuesday, taking the game 4-1. The victory continues a trend for the Gladiators in their matchups with the Monsoons: they've now won four in a row.

Isabelle Gonzalez spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on four hits and racked up 11 Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Gahr's win was truly a team effort as four different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Cierra Contreras, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Leah Magana also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.

La Mirada is on a roll lately: they've won 16 of their last 17 games. That's provided a nice bump to their 21-4 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.0 runs on average over those games. As for Gahr, they now have a winning record of 12-11-3.

Everything went La Mirada's way against Gahr in their previous meeting on April 1st, as La Mirada made off with a 16-8 win. Do the Matadores have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Gladiators turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.