Softball Preview: Parkland Matadors vs. Bel Air Highlanders
The Parkland Matadors are taking a road trip to challenge the Bel Air Highlanders at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Parkland's hitters haven't had much luck over their past three matches, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Parkland took a 12-run defeat the last time they faced off against Americas, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Matadors won by a run and slipped past the Trail Blazers 2-1.

Samantha Martinez
04/15/25 vs Americas | 17 |
04/12/25 @ El Dorado | 10 |
04/09/25 @ Hanks | 15 |
04/02/25 vs Bel Air | 10 |
03/29/25 @ Americas | 7 |
+ 8 more games |
Samantha Martinez made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 17 batters over eight innings while giving up just one earned run off eight hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 13 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Devyn Rodriguez, who scored two runs while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Bel Air ultimately got the result they hoped for on Tuesday. They walked away with a 4-1 win over Horizon. The victory continues a trend for the Highlanders in their matchups with the Scorpions: they've now won five in a row.
Andrea Saucedo spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on five hits and racked up ten Ks.
At the plate, Sai Salazar was incredible, scoring a run and stealing four bases while going 3-for-3. Those three hits gave her a new career-high. Riley Garner was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
Parkland's record now sits at 18-14. As for Bel Air, their record is now 6-25.
Parkland took their win against Bel Air in their previous matchup two weeks ago by a conclusive 16-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Matadors since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps