Softball Game Preview: Bel Air Highlanders vs. Parkland Matadors

The Bel Air Highlanders will challenge the Parkland Matadors at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

On Tuesday, Bel Air needed a bit of extra time to put away Horizon. They walked away with a 4-1 victory over the Scorpions. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Highlanders as it put an end to their five-game losing streak.

Andrea Saucedo spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on five hits and racked up ten Ks.

Sai Salazar

Stolen Base (Career)

04/15/25 @ Horizon	4
03/29/25 vs Horizon	1
02/27/25 vs Coronado	1
02/10/25 vs Canutillo	1

At the plate, the team relied heavily on Sai Salazar, who scored a run and stole four bases while going 3-for-3. Those four stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Riley Garner was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Parkland, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Saturday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Americas on Tuesday, sneaking past 2-1.

Samantha Martinez made a splash while hitting and pitching. She struck out 17 batters over eight innings while giving up just one earned run off eight hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 13 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with one double and one RBI.

In other batting news, Devyn Rodriguez was excellent, scoring two runs while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.

Parkland's victory bumped their record up to 18-14. As for Bel Air, their win bumped their record up to 6-25.

Bel Air suffered a grim 16-0 defeat to Parkland when the teams last played two weeks ago. Will the Highlanders 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.