Softball Game Preview: Sunset Apollos vs. McMinnville Grizzlies

The Sunset Apollos will venture away from home to square off against the McMinnville Grizzlies at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Sunset is currently enjoying a perfect season and no doubt wants to keep things rolling.

Sunset's pitching crew heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Tuesday. They put the hurt on Roosevelt with a sharp 10-0 win. The Apollos might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four games by six runs or more this season.

Keana Cooper

Runs (Career)

03/25/25 vs Roosevelt	3
03/24/25 vs Gresham	2
03/21/25 vs West Salem	2
03/18/25 vs Oregon City	2
05/13/24 @ Aloha	2

Keana Cooper made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out seven over four innings pitched. Furthermore, she didn't allow a single hit, the first time she has blanked an opponent since back in April of 2024. She was also big at the plate, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4. Those three runs gave her a new career-high.

In other batting news, Sunset got a big performance out of Shelby Townsend, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one double. Maddy Larson also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.

Sunset was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .500. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .367 or higher every time they've taken the field this season.

Meanwhile, McMinnville beat North Medford 8-5 on Tuesday.

Sunset pushed their record up to 6-0 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.6 runs over those games. As for McMinnville, their record now sits at 3-1.

Sunset might still be hurting after the 12-2 defeat they got from McMinnville when the teams last played back in April of 2022. Can Sunset avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.