The Kentlake Falcons will square off against the Decatur Golden Gators at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Decatur will be up against a hot Kentlake squad: the team just extended their winning streak to three. Kentlake put the hurt on Federal Way with a sharp 19-7 win on Wednesday. The game was the first time the Falcons have beaten the Eagles on their field since April 18, 2016.
Soliesa Cruz was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over five innings while giving up three earned (and four unearned) runs off five hits. Cruz was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of her five plate appearances with one RBI.
In other batting news, Kentlake got a massive performance out of Josie Pedeferri, who scored four runs and stole two bases while going 4-for-5. Hi'Ilei Gomes was another key player, scoring five runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all five of her plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Decatur got the win against Beamer on Wednesday by a conclusive 17-4. The Golden Gators haven't had any issues with the Titans recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive victory against them.
Like Kentlake, Decatur also got a great game from a two-way player: Kahea Sharpe. On the mound, she struck out six batters over 3.2 innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits (and not a single walk). Sharpe was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Audrey Deviney, who went 1-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Jordyn Davis-Thompson, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run and two runs.
Decatur always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .576. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Beamer only posted an OBP of .375.
Decatur's win was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 2-1. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Kentlake, their win bumped their record up to 3-0.
Friday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Kentlake has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .581. However, it's not like Decatur struggles in that department as they've averaged .557. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Kentlake suffered a grim 13-4 defeat to Decatur when the teams last played back in March of 2024. Will Kentlake 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.
