The Apple Valley Sun Devils will face off against the Hillcrest Trojans at 3:15 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Last Wednesday, Apple Valley got the win against University Prep by a conclusive 12-2. The Sun Devils haven't had any issues with the Jaguars recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Makaylee Cerf spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on six hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Madison Buzzard and Lexonnie Gonzalez did most of the damage at the plate: Buzzard went 2-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and two doubles, while Gonzalez went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Those two runs gave Gonzalez a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Jordyn Gentile, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Apple Valley kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. They are 14-2-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Hillcrest made easy work of Moreno Valley last Monday and carried off an 11-1 win. That's two games straight that the Trojans have won by exactly ten runs.
The team relied heavily on X-Ziary Zambrano, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Adrianna Garcia, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs and one stolen base.
Apple Valley's victory bumped their record up to 17-10-1. As for Hillcrest, their win bumped their record up to 16-7.
Hillcrest's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Apple Valley has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .487. It's a different story for Hillcrest, though, as they've only averaged .345. Will they be able to contain Apple Valley's hitters? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
