Softball Game Preview: Grace Lancers vs. Simi Valley Pioneers

The Grace Lancers will venture away from home to take on the Simi Valley Pioneers at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

On Tuesday, Grace made easy work of Vasquez and carried off a 10-4 victory. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Lancers.

Meanwhile, Simi Valley had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5 runs) and they went ahead and made it four on Tuesday. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 3-2 W against the Lancers. While the Pioneers didn't have the best season last year (they finished 11-16), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.

Francesca Hall spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on five hits and racked up six Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.

At the plate, the team relied heavily on Aurora Zepeda, who went 1-for-3 with one home run. Arianna Ochoa also deserves some recognition as she hit her first doubles of the season.

Simi Valley hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now struck out at most five strikeouts in four consecutive matches.

Simi Valley pushed their record up to 6-1 with the win, which was their third straight at home. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.7 runs over those games. As for Grace, they now have a winning record of 2-1.

Grace was able to grind out a solid victory over Simi Valley when the teams last played back in April of 2024, winning 4-1. The rematch might be a little tougher for Grace since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.