The Notre Dame Pioneers will face off against the Natchitoches Central Chiefs at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Notre Dame is currently enjoying a perfect season and no doubt wants to keep things rolling.
On Thursday, Notre Dame got the win against Lafayette Christian Academy by a conclusive 17-2. The result was nothing new for the Pioneers, who have now won eight contests by seven runs or more so far this season.
Bella Smith
| 03/13/25 vs Lafayette Christian Academy | 1 |
| 03/12/25 @ Eunice | 2 |
| 03/07/25 @ St. Thomas More | 2 |
| 02/28/25 @ St. Louis Catholic | 1 |
| 02/26/25 vs Church Point | 2 |
| + 2 more games |
Bella Smith looked comfortable as she tossed four innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Keagan Valdetero, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-3. Another player making a difference was Ava Yates, who scored three runs and stole Two bases. while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
Notre Dame kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in eight consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Natchitoches Central, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. They blew past Parkway 11-1 on Thursday. The victory continues a trend for the Chiefs in their matchups with the Panthers: they've now won four in a row.
Sydney Terrell spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on six hits.
At the plate, Morgan Robinson and Ehren Guidroz did most of the damage at the plate: Robinson went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and one double, while Guidroz went 3-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. That's the most hits Guidroz has posted since back in March of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Lila Robertson, who went 1-for-4 with one home run and three RBI.
Notre Dame's win was their 12th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 11-0. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.6 runs on average over those games. As for Natchitoches Central, their victory bumped their record up to 4-10.
Natchitoches Central's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Notre Dame hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .443. It's a different story for Natchitoches Central, though, as they've only averaged .234. Will they be able to contain Notre Dame's hitters? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
