Softball Game Preview: Williams Field Black Hawks vs. Higley Knights

The Williams Field Black Hawks will head out to take on the Higley Knights at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

Thursday just wasn't the day for Williams Field's offense. They lost 8-0 to Queen Creek on Thursday. The Black Hawks have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Meanwhile, Higley beat Gilbert 12-9 on Thursday. With that victory, the Knights brought their scoring average up to 6.2 runs per game.

Maruko Harada made a splash no matter where she played. She struck out nine batters over seven innings while giving up four earned (and five unearned) runs off nine hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one double. Those four hits gave her a new career-high.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Ella Babcock, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three stolen bases, three runs, and one triple. Those three stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Samantha Parisi, who earned three runs and two stolen bases.

Higley kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They are 6-1 when they post 11 or more hits.

The win made it two in a row for Higley and bumps their season record up to 9-18-1. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.5 runs over those games. As for Williams Field, their loss dropped their record down to 8-14-1.

Williams Field couldn't quite finish off Higley when the teams last played back in April of 2024 and fell 4-2. Can the Black Hawks avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.