Softball Game Preview: Crestview Bulldogs vs. Pace Patriots

The Crestview Bulldogs will take on the Pace Patriots at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams were dealt some close losses in their previous games and are determined not to let this one get away.

Crestview came into this matchup off a tough ten-run loss on Monday. This time they kept things ultra-competitive, but unfortunately the final result was the same. They fell just short of Milton by a score of 4-2 on Thursday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Bulldogs have suffered since February 25th.

Crestview saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Cambell Toolan, who went 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. That home run marked the first that Toolan launched this season. Another was Presley Houser, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases.

Meanwhile, Pace is ranked highly in their home state and on Tuesday they took on another highly ranked team in the form of South Warren. The Patriots fell just short of the Spartans by a score of 2-0. The game marked the first time this season in which the Patriots were not able to get on the board.

Hannah DeMarcus spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on three hits and racked up 17 Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than ten strikeouts in 14 consecutive appearances.

Crestview has traveled a rocky road recently, having lost eight of their last nine matches. That's put a noticeable dent in their 5-12 record this season. As for Pace, with the loss, they broke their four-game winning streak and moved their record to 14-2.

Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Friday. Crestview hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.4 home runs per game. However, it's not like Pace struggles in that department as they've been averaging 0.5 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.

Crestview might still be hurting after the 10-0 defeat they got from Pace in their previous matchup back in March of 2022. Will the Bulldogs 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.