The Union Mine Diamondbacks will face off against the Kennedy Cougars at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Union Mine took a loss when they played away from home on Thursday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Galt, sneaking past 8-7. The win continues a trend for the Diamondbacks in their matchups with the Warriors: they've now won seven in a row.
Kaylee Henkel
| 04/11/25 vs Galt | 5 |
| 04/10/25 @ Liberty Ranch | 1 |
| 04/07/25 vs Liberty Ranch | 3 |
| 03/27/25 @ Rosemont | 4 |
| 03/20/25 @ Argonaut | 4 |
| + 5 more games |
Kaylee Henkel was a major factor no matter where she played. She tossed 3.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. What's more, she posted five strikeouts, the most she's had since back in April of 2024. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Ruby Luce, who scored three runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-4. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April of 2024. Allysen Perrah was another key player, scoring a run while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Kennedy). They never let Grant get on the board and left with a 22-0 victory on Thursday. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Cougars considering their two-run performance the game before.
Like Union Mine, Kennedy also got a great game from a two-way player: Alyssa Vallery. On the mound, Vallery tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Kaylena Ogle struck out eight batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and only one walk). She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 12 consecutive appearances. At bat, Vallery scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in two of her four plate appearances, while Ogle scored two runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, Kira Griffin was a standout: she got on base in all five of her plate appearances with one home run, two stolen bases, and five RBI. That home run marked the first that she launched this season. Another player making a difference was Malaiyah Fujinaga?starks, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three stolen bases, three runs, and four RBI.
Kennedy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .769. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
With the win, Kennedy broke their three-game losing streak and moved their record to 6-9. As for Union Mine, their victory bumped their record up to 3-7.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Union Mine has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.6 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Kennedy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5.4 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
