Softball Game Preview: Livermore Cowboys vs. Amador Valley Dons

The Livermore Cowboys will head out on the road to face off against the Amador Valley Dons at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Having both just faced considerable losses, both teams are looking to turn things around.

Livermore is headed into the contest having just suffered their biggest loss since April 20, 2024 on Tuesday. They came up short against San Ramon Valley, falling 7-1. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Cowboys' biggest loss of the season was also their lowest-scoring.

Kaci Norton was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: she tossed five innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off six hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances.

Meanwhile, Amador Valley has relied on a stalwart pitchers averaging 3.94 runs allowed per game, but that average took a hit on Tuesday. They lost 12-2 to California. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat the Dons have suffered against the Grizzlies since April 18, 2022.

Amador Valley saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kaylee Davis, who went 2-for-3 with one triple and two RBI. Emmerson Giles also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.

Livermore's loss ended a three-game streak of away wins and brought them to 12-5. As for Amador Valley, they have been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 7-9 record this season.

Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Friday. Livermore hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.7 home runs per game. However, it's not like Amador Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 0.9 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.

Livermore beat Amador Valley 3-0 in their previous meeting back in March. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Cowboys since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.