Softball Game Preview: Lincoln Fighting Zebras vs. Bear River Bruins

The Lincoln Fighting Zebras will face off against the Bear River Bruins at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

Monday just wasn't the day for Lincoln's offense. They took a 4-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of Pioneer on Monday. The Fighting Zebras have struggled against the Patriots recently, as the game was their third consecutive lost meeting.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Bear River). They were the clear victors by an 18-1 margin over Mira Loma two weeks ago. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Bruins considering their one-run performance the contest before.

Taryn Cleek made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out eight over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up a single walk in three consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with three stolen bases, four runs, and one RBI.

In other batting news, Adalaide Mason and Macy Martin did most of the damage at the plate: Mason went a perfect 4-for-4 with four runs, two RBI, and one double, while Martin got on base in all four of her plate appearances with four runs, one triple, and one RBI. Those four runs gave Mason a new career-high. Lily Fiddyment was another key player, getting on base in three of her five plate appearances with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run.

Bear River kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post 11 or more hits.

Bear River has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-5 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Lincoln, their defeat dropped their record down to 6-13.

Lincoln couldn't quite finish off Bear River in their previous meeting back in March and fell 8-6. Will the Fighting Zebras have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.