Softball Preview: Central Grizzlies vs. Clovis North Broncos
Central is 2-8 against Clovis North since March of 2020 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Saturday. The Central Grizzlies will square off against the Clovis North Broncos at 7:00 p.m. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Central comes in on five and Clovis North on four.
Central is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. They had just enough and edged Frontier out 2-1. That's two games straight that Central has won by just one run.
Kaia Galaviz spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered one run (which was unearned) on four hits.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Bella Palma, who went 2-for-3 with a triple, a run, and an RBI.
Meanwhile, Clovis North won against Kingsburg on Friday with seven runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Wednesday. Clovis North walked away with a 7-3 victory over Buchanan. That's two games straight that Clovis North has won by exactly four runs.
Jocelynn Gonzalez made a splash while hitting and pitching. She pitched seven innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off seven hits. Gonzalez has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive pitching appearances. Gonzalez was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 3-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Emma Blea, who went 1-for-3 with a home run and four RBI. Another player making a difference was Jaelyn Clark, who scored two runs while going 3-for-4.
Central's win was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 20-6-1. As for Clovis North, they have been performing well recently as they've won nine of their last 12 games, which provided a nice bump to their 20-7 record this season.
Saturday's match will be a test for both team's pitchers. Central hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .355. However, it's not like Clovis North struggles in that department as they've averaged .321. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Central skirted past Clovis North 7-6 in their previous matchup on May 3rd. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Clovis North's Kiara Sipe, who went 2-for-3 with a home run, three runs, and a triple. Now that she's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Central still be able to contain Sipe? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
