The Cedar Park Christian Eagles will square off against the Rochester Warriors at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
Cedar Park Christian is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They had just enough and edged out Klahowya 4-3. The win was nothing new for Cedar Park Christian as they're now sitting on four straight.
Shelby Southard was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out 12 over seven innings pitched. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up a single earned run in four consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run, two stolen bases, and two runs. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in April.
Southard wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Evoleht Stuhr, who went 1-for-4 with one triple and one run.
Meanwhile, Rochester posted their closest victory since April 23rd on Friday. They narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past Royal 3-1. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Warriors.
Layna Demers spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on three hits and racked up 15 Ks.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Arissa LeBaron, who went 1-for-3 with one home run. That home run was her first of the season.
Rochester's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 16-6. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 4.0 runs on average over those games. As for Cedar Park Christian, their victory bumped their record up to 19-4.
Saturday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Cedar Park Christian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .491. However, it's not like Rochester struggles in that department as they've averaged .453. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
