Softball Game Preview: Valencia Vikings vs. Castaic Coyotes

Valencia has gone a perfect 7-0 against Castaic recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Tuesday. The Vikings will head out on the road to challenge the Coyotes at 3:15 p.m. Valencia's pitching crew has only allowed 3.4 runs per game this season, so Castaic's hitters will have their work cut out for them.

Saugus hit Valencia with a four-run fifth inning on Thursday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Vikings fell just short of the Centurions by a score of 5-4. Vikings fans who chose to attend the game sure picked the wrong one: it was the first time the team's lost against the Centurions since on Thursday.

Carly Kearns

Batters Struck Out

04/17/25 vs Saugus	9
04/15/25 vs Hart	12
04/02/25 vs Granada Hills Charter	7
04/01/25 @ Golden Valley	7
03/27/25 @ Canyon	9
+ 3 more games

Carly Kearns spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and one unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up nine Ks. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in eight consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Scarlett Carlson made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 1-for-3 with one home run. That home run was her first of the season.

Meanwhile, Castaic came up short against West Ranch on Saturday and fell 8-3. The loss continues a trend for the Coyotes in their meetings with the Wildcats: they've now lost eight in a row.

Lulu Smith was cooking despite her team's loss, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with one triple, one stolen base, and two RBI.

Valencia's record is now 9-6. As for Castaic, their record now sits at 8-10.

Valencia took their win against Castaic when the teams last played back in March by a conclusive 11-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Vikings since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.