Softball Game Preview: Taft Wildcats vs. Wasco Tigers

Wildcats

Runs

04/14/26 @ Wasco	4
04/09/26 @ Chavez	10
04/07/26 vs Chavez	15
03/28/26 vs Bakersfield Christian	4
03/28/26 vs Independence	7
+ 15 more games

For the second straight game, Taft will face off against Wasco. The Wildcats will host the Tigers at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Taft is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9 runs per game this season.

It was a proper cat-fight when Taft took on Wasco on Tuesday. The Wildcats fell just short of the Tigers by a score of 5-4. The Wildcats haven't had much luck with the Tigers recently, as the team has come up short the last three times they've met.

Rilynne Stenderup spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and four unearned) runs on three hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Rylee Owens and Sophia Prieto stepped up to the plate in a big way. Owens got on base in three of her four plate appearances with one run and one double, while Prieto went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one double. Jenna Rios was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs.

Wasco pushed their record up to 11-7 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Taft, their defeat was their first in the league, dropping their league record down to 4-1 and their overall record down to 15-5.

Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Taft hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .346. However, it's not like Wasco struggles in that department as they've averaged .357. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.