Softball Game Preview: Central Academy Cougars vs. Sun Valley Spartans

The Central Academy Cougars will head out to square off against the Sun Valley Spartans at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Central Academy is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to ten runs on Thursday, they were much more limited against Cuthbertson on Tuesday. They fell 5-2 to the Cavaliers.

Kieryn Peters was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one double.

Meanwhile, Sun Valley hadn't done well against Porter Ridge recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. The Spartans narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past the Pirates 8-6. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Spartans have posted against the Pirates since April 11, 2022.

Gretchen Daniel (2028) spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned (and one unearned) runs on two hits and racked up seven Ks.

On the hitting side, Sun Valley let Gracyn Hawk (2026) and Kendall Smith (2026) run wild. Hawk (2026) scored a run while going 2-for-4, while Smith (2026) scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. Those three runs gave Smith (2026) a new career-high. Terran Ellis (2028) also deserves some recognition as she scored her first run of the season.

With the victory, Sun Valley broke their three-game losing streak and moved their record to 4-6. As for Central Academy, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-6.

Central Academy took their win against Sun Valley when the teams last played back in March of 2024 by a conclusive 12-2 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Cougars since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.