The Round Valley Elks will square off against the Northland Prep Academy Spartans at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. One thing working in Round Valley's favor is that they have posted at least ten runs in their last six matchups.
On Wednesday, Round Valley earned a 14-11 win over Benson. The victory continues a trend for the Elks in their matchups with the Bobcats: they've now won three in a row.
Carla Arreola
| 04/23/25 @ Benson | 10 |
| 04/18/25 vs Page | 5 |
| 04/16/25 @ Many Farms | 8 |
| 04/14/25 vs Winslow | 7 |
| 04/12/25 vs Phoenix Christian | 10 |
| + 3 more games |
Carla Arreola spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned (and six unearned) runs on ten hits and racked up ten Ks. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in eight consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Kelci Walker, who went 3-for-5 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. She has been hot recently, having posted three or more RBI the last four times she's played. Another player making a difference was Skyler Hevener, who went 2-for-5 with three runs, one double, and one RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Round Valley kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 13 hits in four consecutive games.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Northland Prep Academy, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Monday. They came out on top against Tuba City by a score of 16-13 on Wednesday. The high-scoring performance was a welcome turnaround for the Spartans' hitters, who had struggled in the games prior.
Ryliegh LaFave was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over seven innings while giving up four earned (and nine unearned) runs off nine hits. LaFave was also big at the plate, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with four runs and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Audre Wilson was incredible, firing off two home runs, nine RBI, and five runs while going 5-for-5. That's the most home runs she has posted since back in April of 2024. Wren Gutt-Ohly was another key player, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with four runs and one RBI.
The win snapped Northland Prep Academy's losing streak at three games and leaves them with a 6-5 record. As for Round Valley, their victory bumped their record up to 15-6.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Round Valley hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .366. However, it's not like Northland Prep Academy struggles in that department as they've averaged .345. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Round Valley suffered a grim 8-2 defeat to Northland Prep Academy in their previous matchup back in May of 2023. Will the Elks have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
