Softball Preview: Big Valley Christian Lions vs. Foresthill Wildfires
Big Valley Christian is 4-0 against Foresthill since May of 2017, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Thursday. The Big Valley Christian Lions will challenge the Foresthill Wildfires at 4:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Big Valley Christian is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They were the clear victor by a 20-1 margin over Leroy Greene Academy. The victory was familiar territory for Big Valley Christian who now have ten in a row.
Ava Hernandez made a splash no matter where she played. She pitched an inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Hernandez has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 11 consecutive pitching appearances. Hernandez was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
In other batting news, Ella Alavezos and Morgan Merzon did most of the damage at the plate: Alavezos scored three runs and stole two bases while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances, while Merzon scored a run and stole two bases while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Breese Johnson, who scored two runs while getting on base in all two of her plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Foresthill got the win against Faith Christian on Tuesday by a conclusive 17-7. The win made it back-to-back victories for Foresthill.
Like Big Valley Christian, Foresthill also got a great game from a two-way player: Summer Stephens. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out ten over five innings pitched. Stephens was also stellar in the batter's box, going 4-for-4 with a home run, three stolen bases, and four runs.
In other batting news, Cordelia Hammer and Caillin Noe did most of the damage at the plate: Hammer scored two runs while going 3-for-4, while Noe went 3-for-4 with four RBI, a run, and a double. Ella Lorance was another key contributor, scoring three runs while going 1-for-3.
Big Valley Christian pushed their record up to 19-6-1 with that win, which was their 14th straight at home dating back to last season. As for Foresthill, they have been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six matches, which provided a nice bump to their 13-5 record this season.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Big Valley Christian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .451. However, it's not like Foresthill struggles in that department as they've averaged .523. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Big Valley Christian's way against Foresthill in their previous meeting back in May of 2023 as Big Valley Christian made off with a 10-0 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Big Valley Christian since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
