Softball Preview: McMinnville Grizzlies vs. Oregon City Pioneers
The McMinnville Grizzlies will head out on the road to take on the Oregon City Pioneers at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. McMinnville's pitching crew has only allowed 2.5 runs per game this season, so Oregon City's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
On Tuesday, it was a hard-fought contest, but McMinnville had to settle for a 4-3 defeat against Bend. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for McMinnville in their matchups with Bend: they've now lost three in a row.
Meanwhile, Oregon City entered their tilt with Reynolds with two consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with three. They put the hurt on the Raiders with a sharp 23-0 win on Monday. For those curious, yes, that was the biggest victory Oregon City has managed all season.
Ellie Joseph and Lily Riley were a major factor while hitting and pitching. Throwing, Joseph struck out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). Meanwhile, Riley tossed an inning while giving up no earned runs or hits (she also didn't allow any walks). Joseph has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive pitching appearances. At bat, Joseph went 2-for-2 with four RBI, a run, and a double, while Riley scored two runs while going 1-for-1.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Caiden Grimmer, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 5-for-5. The team also got some help courtesy of Reese Gardner, who scored three runs while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
McMinnville's defeat dropped their record down to 8-2. As for Oregon City, their win was their 12th straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 8-1.
McMinnville came out on top in a nail-biter against Oregon City in their previous meeting back in April of 2023, sneaking past 6-5. The rematch might be a little tougher for McMinnville 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
