Ponca has been on the road for seven straight, but on Thursday they'll finally head home. They will host the Guardian Angels Central Catholic Bluejays. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Having struggled with eight losses in a row dating back to last season, Ponca finally turned things around against South Sioux City on Saturday. They blew past the Cardinals 13-4. The Indians' offense finally found a way to get into gear: the high-octane performance was a 180-degree turn from their last four games.
Jaeden Hughes was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching five innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off six hits. Hughes was also big at the plate, going 1-for-1 with two RBI. Those RBI were her first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Sophia Cleveland, who scored four runs and stole a base while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. Those runs marked the first that she's scored this season. Another player making a difference was Lyndsee Waldee, who went 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBI, and a run.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Ponca always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .576. The last time their OBP was this high was back in September of 2023.
Meanwhile, Guardian Angels Central Catholic put another one in the bag on Saturday to keep their perfect season alive. They walked away with a 4-1 win over Aquinas.
Abi Toline spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered one run (which was unearned) on five hits and racked up six Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts every time she's pitched this season.
At the plate, Kennedy Baumert was excellent, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
Ponca's first victory this season bumped their record up to 1-7. As for Guardian Angels Central Catholic, their win bumped their record up to 8-0.
Ponca suffered a grim 10-2 defeat to Guardian Angels Central Catholic in their previous matchup back in August of 2023. Will Ponca 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.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
