Hughson is preparing for their first league matchup of the season on Tuesday. They will welcome the Orestimba Warriors at 4:00 p.m. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Hughson has three straight victories, Orestimba has three straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Hughson took a nine-run defeat the last time they faced off against Big Valley Christian, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. Hughson had just enough and edged out Big Valley Christian 14-13. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Huskies have posted since April 26, 2024.
Kylie Tangney spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned (and eight unearned) runs on 11 hits and racked up 11 Ks.
At the plate, Hughson got a big performance out of Leanne Lopez, who scored three runs while going 2-for-4. That's the most runs Lopez has posted since back in February. The team also got some help courtesy of Abigail Collins, who scored a run while going 3-for-4.
Lopez wasn't the only one working in the hit department: Hughson kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. Hughson is a perfect 5-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Orestimba didn't have quite enough to beat Ripon on Thursday and fell 4-3.
Orestimba saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kaitlin Barron, who went 2-for-3 with one double. That double was Barron's first of the season.
Hughson's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 6-4-1. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 15.7 runs over those games. As for Orestimba, their loss dropped their record down to 2-7.
Orestimba's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Hughson has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.5 hits per game. It's a different story for Orestimba, though, as they've been averaging 9.3 hits. Given Hughson's sizable advantage in that area, Orestimba will need to find a way to close that gap.
Hughson might still be hurting after the 13-0 defeat they got from Orestimba in their previous matchup back in April of 2021. Will Hughson 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.
