Softball Game Preview: Pioneer Valley Panthers vs. Rio Hondo Prep Kares

Pioneer Valley is on a three-game streak of home wins, while Rio Hondo Prep is on a three-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Panthers will welcome the Kares at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Pioneer Valley is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.2 runs per game this season.

Pioneer Valley heads in on the heels of a playoff matchup on Friday. They came up short against Liberty, falling 12-6. The Panthers' loss signaled the end of their six-game winning streak.

Mila Dolores was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double. Kianna Real was another key player, going 1-for-4 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.

Meanwhile, Rio Hondo Prep got the win against Taft on Tuesday by a conclusive 9-3. Considering the Kares have won 13 games by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.

Rio Hondo Prep is on a roll lately: they've won 12 of their last 14 contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 21-6 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.6 runs over those games. As for Pioneer Valley, their defeat dropped their record down to 20-12.