Softball Game Preview: Grace Lancers vs. Oak Park Eagles

The Grace Lancers will face off against the Oak Park Eagles at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. The timing is sure in Grace's favor as the team sits on 12 straight wins at home (dating back to last season) while Oak Park has been banged up by five consecutive losses on the road.

On Tuesday, it was close, but Grace sidestepped St. Bonaventure for a 9-7 victory.

The team relied heavily on Ava Depew, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, two doubles, and one run. That's the most doubles she has posted since back in March of 2024. Isabella Cocca was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one triple and one run.

Meanwhile, Oak Park came up short against Moorpark on Tuesday and fell 7-4.

Oak Park saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Shaila Esparza, who went 2-for-4 with one run.

Oak Park's loss dropped their record down to 10-13. As for Grace, their win bumped their record up to 12-3.

Oak Park's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Grace has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 8.7 hits per game. It's a different story for Oak Park, though, as they've been averaging 8.9 hits. Given Grace's sizable advantage in that area, the Eagles will need to find a way to close that gap.

Grace couldn't quite get it done against Oak Park in their previous matchup back in February of 2022 as they fell 3-0. Will the Lancers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.