Softball Game Preview: Bishop O'Dowd Dragons vs. Pinole Valley Spartans

The Bishop O'Dowd Dragons will venture away from home to take on the Pinole Valley Spartans at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.

Bishop O'Dowd is probably headed into the contest with a chip on their shoulder considering Castro Valley just ended the team's three-game winning streak on Thursday. They fell just short of the Trojans by a score of 5-3.

Olivia Marletta made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 1-for-3 with one home run and two runs. That home run marked the first that she launched this season. Jaella Mercado was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two stolen bases.

Meanwhile, Pinole Valley fell victim to San Rafael and their airtight pitching crew on Thursday. They took a 3-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Bulldogs. The match marked the first time this year in which the Spartans were not able to get on the board.

Mckenzie Ortega spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on five hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts any time she's pitched this season.

Bishop O'Dowd's defeat dropped their record down to 10-4. As for Pinole Valley, the loss snapped their winning streak at three games and leaves them with a 7-2 record.

Bishop O'Dowd beat Pinole Valley 5-2 when the teams last played back in April of 2023. Does Bishop O'Dowd have another victory up their sleeve, or will Pinole Valley turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.