Softball Game Preview: Upland Highlanders/Scots vs. Bishop Amat Lancers

Upland is on a three-game streak of home wins, while Bishop Amat is on a four-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Highlanders/Scots will host the Lancers at 3:15 p.m. on Monday. Upland's pitching crew has only allowed 3.2 runs per game this season, so Bishop Amat's hitters will have their work cut out for them.

Upland is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of California's top teams: Etiwanda, who was ranked ninth at the time (Upland was ranked 23rd). The Highlanders/Scots fell just short of the Eagles by a score of 7-6 on Friday. The Highlanders/Scots' loss signaled the end of their seven-game winning streak.

Bishop Amat never got on the board in their matchup on April 3rd, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against Paraclete last Tuesday. They came out on top against the Spirits by a score of 18-13. With that win, the Lancers brought their scoring average up to 6.4 runs per game.

Aiyana Perez was incredible, firing off two home runs and three RBI while going 3-for-5. Those two home runs gave her a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Julyssa Jimenez, who went 3-for-5 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI.

They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Bishop Amat kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 25 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.

Bishop Amat is on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last ten games. That's provided a nice bump to their 14-11 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.2 runs over those games. As for Upland, their defeat was their first in the league, dropping their league record down to 2-1 and their overall record down to 13-4.

Upland might still be hurting after the 11-0 loss they got from Bishop Amat when the teams last played back in March of 2023. Can the Highlanders/Scots avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.