Chico hasn't had much luck against Foothill recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Panthers will host the Cougars at 5:00 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Chico 3.8, Foothill 3.1) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Chico's pitching crew heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. Everything went their way against Enterprise as they made off with a 13-0 victory. Considering the Panthers have won ten matches by more than six runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Olivia Murphy was incredible, going 3-for-4 with four runs, three RBI, and one stolen base. That's the most hits she has posted since back in May of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Emily Babler, who went 1-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.
Chico was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .444. They are a perfect 9-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Foothill waltzed into their game on Friday with five straight wins... but they left with six. They narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past the Vikings 3-1. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Cougars have posted against the Vikings since March 30, 2023.
Elisea Wiegand spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on three hits and racked up 17 Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Foothill saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Sofia Nichols, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one triple.
Foothill's win was their ninth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 21-5-1. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Chico, they are on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last nine contests. That's provided a massive bump to their 16-10 record this season.
Tuesday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Chico hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .328. However, it's not like Foothill struggles in that department as they've averaged .335. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Chico might still be hurting after the 15-9 loss they got from Foothill when the teams last played back in April. Will the Panthers 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.
