Softball Game Preview: Van Vleck Leopards vs. Boling Bulldogs

The Van Vleck Leopards will challenge the Boling Bulldogs at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Van Vleck is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.4 runs per game this season.

Monday just wasn't the day for Van Vleck's offense. They lost 6-0 to East Bernard on Monday. The Leopards' loss signaled the end of their four-game winning streak.

Lakyn Matchett

Batters Struck Out

04/14/25 vs East Bernard	15
04/11/25 @ Brazos	15
04/08/25 @ Hitchcock	7
04/04/25 vs Hempstead	7
04/01/25 @ Boling	5

Lakyn Matchett spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned (and one unearned) runs on five hits and racked up 15 Ks. She has been consistent : she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive appearances.

Meanwhile, Boling was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their ninth straight defeat. They took a 10-6 hit to the loss column at the hands of Hempstead.

Briseis Zavala made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 3-for-4 with three RBI, one triple, and one stolen base. That triple marked the first that she hit this season. Jailianna Johnson was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.

Boling's loss dropped their record down to 3-16. As for Van Vleck, their defeat dropped their record down to 14-5-2.

Boling's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Thursday. Van Vleck has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.6 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Boling, though, as they've been averaging only 3.1 strikeouts. Will Van Vleck keep running through batters, or will the Bulldogs buck the trend?

Everything went Van Vleck's way against Boling when the teams last played two weeks ago, as Van Vleck made off with a 12-0 win. Do the Leopards have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bulldogs turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.