Softball Game Preview: Belen Eagles vs. Valencia Jaguars

The Belen Eagles are taking a road trip to square off against the Valencia Jaguars at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.

Belen took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They put the hurt on Grants with a sharp 18-6 victory. The result was nothing new for the Eagles, who have now won nine contests by ten runs or more so far this season.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Valencia). They were the clear victors by a 35-2 margin over Highland on Tuesday. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the team's high-flying offense, the game also marked the team's biggest win of the season.

Rosalyn Rael was a standout: she got on base in all five of her plate appearances with one home run, three stolen bases, and five runs. What's more, she posted four RBI, the most she's had since back in March. Another player making a difference was Cambria Garley, who got on base in all five of her plate appearances with eight stolen bases, five runs, and one RBI.

The victory was the third in a row for Valencia, bringing their record up to 9-13. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 23.0 runs over those games. As for Belen, they now have a winning record of 13-12.

Belen took their victory against Valencia in their previous meeting two weeks ago by a conclusive 15-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Eagles since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.