Softball Preview: Rio Linda Knights vs. Dixon Rams
The Rio Linda Knights will stay at home for another game and welcome the Dixon Rams at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average, (Rio Linda: 3.5, Dixon: 2.6) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Rio Linda can now show off six landslide victories after their most recent contest on Friday. Everything went their way against Wood as Rio Linda made off with a 9-3 win.
Kiera Waggoner made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching seven innings while giving up three earned runs off five hits (she also only allowed one walk). Waggoner has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't pitched less than six innings in five consecutive pitching appearances. Waggoner was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-3.
In other batting news, Rio Linda let Liviah Johnson and Izabella Moen loose on the outfield. Johnson scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-3, while Moen scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. The team also got some help courtesy of Kaylee Derby, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, Dixon earned a 7-2 victory over Arroyo on Saturday. Seven seems to be a good number for Dixon as the squad scooped up a win with the same number of runs in their previous game.
Like Rio Linda, Dixon also got a great game from a two-way player: Emily Morris. She struck out six batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. Morris was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Ashley Garcia was excellent, scoring a run while going 1-for-3. Another player making a difference was Camryn Elliot, who went 1-for-3 with a triple and an RBI.
Rio Linda's victory was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 11-3. Those victories were due in large part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.9 runs per game. As for Dixon, they are on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five matches, which provided a nice bump to their 7-2 record this season.
Monday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Rio Linda has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .460. However, it's not like Dixon struggles in that department as they've averaged .506. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Rio Linda might still be hurting after the 10-4 loss they got from Dixon in their previous meeting back in May of 2023. Can Rio Linda avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
