Softball Preview: Declo Hornets vs. Malad Dragons
Declo is 2-8 against Malad since April of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Declo Hornets will face off against the Malad Dragons at 10:00 a.m. Declo is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 9.5 runs per game this season.
Last Tuesday, it was a hard-fought game, but Declo had to settle for a 6-5 defeat against Gooding. Declo has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Declo saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Jakobi Nebeker, who scored a run while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, Malad put another one in the bag on Wednesday to keep their perfect season alive. Everything went their way against Soda Springs as Malad made off with a 17-4 victory. The result was nothing new for Malad, who have now won ten contests by seven runs or more so far this season.
Liddia Gonzalez was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out seven over five innings pitched. Gonzalez was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and a triple.
In other batting news, Malad got a massive performance out of Hallie Horsley, who went 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBI, and two runs. Riglee Peterson was another key contributor, going 2-for-3 with a home run, four RBI, and two runs.
Declo's loss ended a three-game streak of away wins and brought them to 7-5. As for Malad, their win was their 13th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 12-0.
Friday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Declo has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .452. However, it's not like Malad struggles in that department as they've averaged .489. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Declo suffered a grim 9-3 defeat to Malad in their previous meeting back in May of 2023. Can Declo avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
