Linden will take on Big Valley Christian at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Linden is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last eight games.
The home team had come away the winner the last five times Linden and Calaveras had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. The Lions had just enough and edged out the Red Hawks 4-2.
Katie Schallberger spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on five hits and racked up six Ks. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Linden's win was truly a team effort as six different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Audrey Pitt, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Big Valley Christian ultimately got the result they hoped for on Thursday. They won by a run and slipped past Summerville 6-5. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Lions.
Big Valley Christian also let their pitcher toss all eight innings and she was also dialed-in: Madyx Mitchell gave up five runs (all of which were unearned) on five hits and racked up six Ks.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Kailey Rivera, who scored a run while going 2-for-4. What's more, she posted two doubles, the most she's had since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Cecily Fontana, who scored a run while going 2-for-4.
Linden's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 10-5. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Big Valley Christian, their victory bumped their record up to 7-13.
Tuesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Linden hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .392. However, it's not like Big Valley Christian struggles in that department as they've averaged .316. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
