Sparks hasn't had much luck against North Valleys recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Railroaders will host the Panthers at 3:00 p.m. Both teams are coming into the contest red-hot, with Sparks sitting on three straight victories and North Valleys on seven.
Sparks' pitching crew heads into the match hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Saturday. They were the clear victors by a 21-0 margin over Wooster. That looming 21-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Railroaders yet this season.
Bailey Hunden
| 04/12/25 @ Wooster | 1 |
| 04/09/25 vs Wooster | 0 |
| 04/04/25 vs South Tahoe | 2 |
| 04/04/25 vs South Tahoe | 2 |
Bailey Hunden made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and only one walk). She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-2.
In other batting news, Sparks got a massive performance out of Ellise Henderson, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. That's the most RBI Henderson has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Julia Monteiro, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs.
Sparks kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 22 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 2.7 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 games they've averaged 12.6.
Meanwhile, North Valleys got the win against South Tahoe on Wednesday by a conclusive 14-0. Considering the Panthers have won ten contests by more than six runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
North Valleys also got a great performance from Maddie Rebell as she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out 12 over five innings pitched.
On the hitting side, Karli Klein was a standout: she went 4-for-5 with five RBI, three runs, and one double. Caylee Soap was another key player, going 3-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and one stolen base.
North Valleys pushed their record up to 12-8 with the win, which was their fifth straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 15.4 runs over those games. As for Sparks, their win bumped their record up to 5-6.
Thursday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Sparks has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .546. However, it's not like North Valleys struggles in that department as they've averaged .524. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Sparks suffered a grim 20-0 defeat to North Valleys in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Will the Railroaders 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.
