The Eastmark Firebirds will square off against the Cactus Shadows Falcons at 5:45 p.m. on Monday. The two teams are strolling into their matches after big wins in their previous games.
Eastmark's pitching crew heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Saturday. They put the hurt on Clackamas with a sharp 9-0 win. The Firebirds might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five games by seven runs or more this season.
Jillian Wade
| 03/22/25 vs Clackamas | 1 |
| 03/20/25 vs Chandler | 0 |
| 03/20/25 @ Valley Christian | 1 |
Jillian Wade was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits over 4.1 innings pitched. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-5. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March of 2024.
In other batting news, Addie Rice was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 3-for-4. What's more, she posted two RBI, the most she's had over her last seven matchups. Another player making a difference was Bella Gomez, who scored two runs while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Cactus Shadows waltzed into their contest on Saturday with four straight wins... but they left with five. They blew past the Volunteers 11-4.
Molly Brown spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and two unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up 11 Ks.
On the hitting side, Cactus Shadows let Ava Fossey and Caylee Cundall run wild. Fossey went 2-for-3 with four RBI, one run, and one double, while Cundall scored three runs while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances. Bailey Fitzmaurice was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
Cactus Shadows pushed their record up to 8-7 with the victory, which was their tenth straight at home dating back to last season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.9 runs on average over those games. As for Eastmark, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a nice bump to their 7-5 record this season.
Monday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Eastmark hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .331. However, it's not like Cactus Shadows struggles in that department as they've averaged .347. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
