Softball Preview: Valley Vikings vs. Eaton Reds
Valley hasn't had much luck against Eaton recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Valley Vikings will host the Eaton Reds at 4:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Valley will roll into the match after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any runs on Tuesday, then bounced right back against Wray/Yuma on Saturday. Valley put the hurt on Wray/Yuma with a sharp 15-2 victory.
Sophia Rodriguez made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits. The dominant performance gave her a new career-high in hits. She was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 4-for-4.
In other batting news, RyAnn Litfin and Alivia Lawing did most of the damage at the plate: Litfin scored three runs and stole three bases while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances, while Lawing scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4. The dominant performance gave Litfin a new career-high in hits. Another player making a difference was Jasmin Gonzalez, who scored two runs while going 3-for-3.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Valley always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .718. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Wray/Yuma only posted an OBP of .158.
Meanwhile, Eaton waltzed into their contest on Saturday with three straight wins... but they left with four. Everything went their way against the Bluedevils as they made off with a 21-1 win. That looming 21-1 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Reds yet this season.
Like Valley, Eaton also got a great game from a two-way player: Bria Foster. She pitched three innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. Foster has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive pitching appearances. She was even better at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI, and a stolen base.
In other batting news, Emma Anderson was incredible, going 2-for-4 with a home run, four runs, and five RBI. She is on a roll when it comes to RBI, as she's now brought in three or more in the last three games she's played dating back to last season. The team also got some help courtesy of Kiauna Smith, who went 3-for-4 with three doubles, two runs, and two RBI.
Valley's victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 7-6. As for Eaton, they pushed their record up to 13-1 with that win, which was their 16th straight on the road dating back to last season.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Valley has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of 0. However, it's not like Eaton 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.
Valley suffered a grim 15-1 defeat to Eaton in their previous meeting back in September of 2023. Will Valley have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
