Softball Game Preview: Hoover Patriots vs. Orcutt Academy Spartans

The Hoover Patriots will take on the Orcutt Academy Spartans at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Hoover is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last 13 games.

Hoover is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Orange Cove, sneaking past 5-4. That's two games straight that the Patriots have won by just one run.

Hazel Martinez made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 11 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off five hits (and only one walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 14 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in two of her three plate appearances with two stolen bases and one run.

Layla Jimenez

Stolen Base (Career)

05/20/25 vs Orange Cove	3
04/23/25 vs Torres	2
03/11/25 @ Mendota	2
05/09/25 @ Torres	1
05/07/25 vs San Joaquin Memorial	1

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Layla Jimenez, who went 1-for-3 with three stolen bases, one run, and one RBI. Those three stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Samantha Vasquez was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Orcutt Academy). They never let California City get on the board and left with a 14-0 victory on Tuesday. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the team's high-flying offense, the game also marked the team's biggest win of the season.

Orcutt Academy has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight contests. That's provided a massive bump to their 13-11-1 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Hoover, their win was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 17-5.