Sun Valley is preparing for their first conference matchup of the season on Tuesday. They will welcome the Cuthbertson Cavaliers at 6:00 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Sun Valley took a eight-run defeat the last time they faced off against Butler, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. Sun Valley came out on top in a nail-biter against Butler on Thursday, sneaking past 3-1. The win was some much needed relief for the Spartans as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.
Gretchen Daniel (2028) spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on one hit and racked up seven Ks.
Kendall Smith (2026)
| 03/13/25 @ Butler | 2 |
| 02/28/25 @ East Mecklenburg | 1 |
| 04/23/24 @ Marvin Ridge | 1 |
| 03/07/24 @ East Mecklenburg | 1 |
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Kendall Smith (2026), who scored a run and stole Two bases. while going 2-for-2. The dominant performance also gave her a new career-high in doubles (two). Gracyn Hawk (2026) also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Cuthbertson, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Ardrey Kell a 10-0 shutout on Friday. The result was nothing new for the Cavaliers, who have now won five games by ten runs or more so far this season.
Not much got past Georgia McConnell, who gave up just four hits to keep Ardrey Kell off the board. McConnell has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one walk any time she's pitched this season.
At the plate, Alexis Juhl was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Gabby Martens, who scored three runs while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Cuthbertson always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .536. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Ardrey Kell only posted an OBP of .174.
Cuthbertson pushed their record up to 6-1 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.4 runs on average over those games. As for Sun Valley, they now have a winning record of 4-3.
Sun Valley might still be hurting after the 16-1 loss they got from Cuthbertson in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Will Sun Valley have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
