Live Oak is 0-4 against Las Plumas since March of 2015 but things could change on Friday. The Lions will host the Thunderbirds at 4:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Having struggled with five defeats in a row, Live Oak turned things around against Oroville on Tuesday. They put the hurt on the Tigers with a sharp 8-2 win. The Lions not only won on Tuesday, but they posted their biggest win since March 25th (when they won 13-0).
Melina Jurado spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on three hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in ten consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Live Oak got a big performance out of Alexa Medina, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Oliviah Jurado, who went 1-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.
Live Oak hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Oroville struck out eight times.
Meanwhile, Las Plumas never let their opponents score on Tuesday. They blew past Orland 7-0. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Thunderbirds.
The result came thanks to Kendal Headley's shutout, as she gave up just two hits and racked up six Ks.
At the plate, Brooklyn Atteberry and Presley Carlson did most of the damage at the plate: Atteberry went 2-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI, while Carlson went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run. Marli Benedict was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Las Plumas pushed their record up to 20-3 with the victory, which was their 12th straight at home dating back to last season. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.4 runs on average over those games. As for Live Oak, their victory was their first in the league, bumping their league record up to 1-3 and their overall record up to 8-9.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Live Oak hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .321. However, it's not like Las Plumas struggles in that department as they've averaged .373. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Live Oak suffered a grim 17-2 defeat to Las Plumas in their previous matchup back in April. Will the Lions have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
