Softball Game Preview: Bolsa Grande Matadors vs. Santa Ana Valley Falcons

The Bolsa Grande Matadors will head out on the road to face off against the Santa Ana Valley Falcons at 3:15 p.m. on Friday. Bolsa Grande has given up an average of 16.2 runs per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Bolsa Grande came up short against Century on Wednesday, falling 19-9. That's two games in a row now that the Matadors have lost by exactly ten runs.

Meanwhile, Santa Ana Valley had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 12 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Wednesday. Everything went their way against the Saxons as they made off with an 11-4 victory. The result was nothing new for the Falcons, who have now won ten matches by seven runs or more so far this season.

Espy Guerrero spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four runs (all of which were unearned) on nine hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Santa Ana Valley got a massive performance out of Janelle Coronel, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Coronel is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games she's played. Karla Oliva was another key player, going 3-for-4 with four RBI and one run.

This is the second loss in a row for Bolsa Grande and nudges their season record down to 7-13. Those losses can't be blamed on the team's hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.5 runs over those games. As for Santa Ana Valley, their win bumped their record up to 12-3.

Bolsa Grande might still be hurting after the 31-9 defeat they got from Santa Ana Valley in their previous matchup back in March of 2024. Can the Matadors avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.