Softball Game Preview: West Greene Pioneers vs. California Trojans

West Greene has gone a perfect 10-0 against California recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Pioneers are taking a road trip to take on the Trojans at 4:30 p.m. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (West Greene has six straight victories, California has eight straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.

On Wednesday, West Greene made easy work of Bethlehem Center and carried off a 13-3 win. The Pioneers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine contests by nine runs or more this season.

Payton Gilbert was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She tossed six innings while giving up three earned runs off five hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.

Khyler Davis

Runs (Career)

04/30/25 vs Bethlehem Center	3
04/23/25 @ Mapletown	2
04/15/25 @ Bethlehem Center	2
04/28/25 vs Jefferson-Morgan	1
04/16/25 @ Avella	1

In other batting news, Khyler Davis was a standout: she went 1-for-4 with three runs and two RBI. Those three runs gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Kylee Davis, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI.

West Greene hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in five consecutive games.

Meanwhile, California fell victim to Yough and their airtight pitching crew on Wednesday. They came up short against the Cougars, falling 15-0.

California's defeat dropped their record down to 4-9. As for West Greene, their record now sits at 13-1.

California's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: West Greene has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .445. It's a different story for California, though, as they've only averaged .338. Will they be able to contain West Greene's hitters?

Everything went West Greene's way against California when the teams last played back in May of 2024, as West Greene made off with a 16-2 victory. Will the Pioneers repeat their success, or do the Trojans have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.