The Cactus Shadows Falcons are taking a road trip to square off against the Eastmark Firebirds at 5:45 p.m. on Monday. Cactus Shadows is coming into the match hot, having won their last five games.
Cactus Shadows had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the seven-run drubbing they dealt Lee Williams on Saturday. Cactus Shadows blew past Lee Williams 11-4.
Molly Brown spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and two unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up 11 Ks.
On the hitting side, Ava Fossey and Caylee Cundall did most of the damage at the plate: Fossey went 2-for-3 with four RBI, one run, and one double, while Cundall scored three runs while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances. That's the most RBI Fossey has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Alexis Honea, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, while Eastmark put up some runs on Saturday, the same can't be said for Clackamas. Eastmark put the hurt on Clackamas with a sharp 9-0 victory. The result was nothing new for the Firebirds, who have now won five games by seven runs or more so far this season.
Jillian Wade was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowed only two hits over 4.1 innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-5. She also put up two RBI, which were her first of the season.
In other batting news, Addie Rice was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 3-for-4. Ella Larned also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Cactus Shadows pushed their record up to 8-7 with the win, which was their tenth straight at home dating back to last season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.4 runs over those games. As for Eastmark, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 7-5 record this season.
Monday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Cactus Shadows hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .347. However, it's not like Eastmark struggles in that department as they've averaged .331. 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.
