The Shadow Ridge Mustangs will take on the Palo Verde Panthers at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. Shadow Ridge is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.1 runs per game this season.
Shadow Ridge is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Nevada's top teams: Coronado, who was ranked 15th at the time (Shadow Ridge was ranked fifth). The Mustangs walked away with an 8-4 win over the Cougars on Tuesday. The victory continues a trend for the Mustangs in their matchups with the Cougars: they've now won four in a row.
Melia Aionaaka made a splash while hitting and pitching. She pitched five innings while giving up just one earned run off seven hits. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 13 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run.
Madison Blosser
| 04/14/26 @ Coronado | 3 |
| 03/19/26 vs Louisville | 2 |
| 03/04/26 @ Arbor View | 2 |
| 02/26/26 @ Basic | 2 |
| 04/08/26 @ Doral Academy Red Rock | 1 |
In other batting news, Madison Blosser was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, one run, and one double. Those three RBI gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Devaeh Crawford, who went 2-for-4 with one run and one double.
Meanwhile, Palo Verde beat Bishop Gorman 8-3 on Tuesday.
Like Shadow Ridge, Palo Verde also got a great game from a two-way player: Haley Kearnes. On the mound, she kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits over four innings pitched. Kearnes was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with one home run. That home run was her first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Taylor Johns, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three runs. Alexis Kearnes was another key player, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one RBI.
Palo Verde lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now launched at least two home runs in four consecutive games.
Palo Verde's win bumped their record up to 11-1. As for Shadow Ridge, their victory bumped their record up to 14-4.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Shadow Ridge hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .389. However, it's not like Palo Verde struggles in that department as they've averaged .397. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Shadow Ridge suffered a grim 9-0 defeat to Palo Verde when the teams last played back in March. Will the Mustangs 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.
