GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - The Gridley Bulldogs softball team split in their second-to-last week of the regular season.

On Tuesday, May 6, the Bulldogs faced the Las Plumas Thunderbirds in Oroville. After a dominating previous week, the Bulldogs completely cooled off and could not get anything going. While not being able to score, the Bulldog defense suffered too, as the Thunderbirds scored 10 total points, and ended the game early with a final score of 10-0. 

The Bulldogs quickly made up for their loss against the Thunderbirds when the Live Oak Lions traveled to Gridley on Friday, May 9. The scoring got started early, as the Lions scored a single point at the top of the first. The Bulldogs responded with five runs of their own to take an early 5-1 lead. After holding the Lions to 0 runs at the top of the second, the Bulldogs added two more runs to their already lopsided lead. The scoring would slow down for both teams until the bottom of the fifth when the Bulldogs scored five more runs to end the game early after allowing only one more run from the Lions. The Bulldogs would win the game 12-2. All but two players on the Bulldogs scored at least one run.

The Bulldogs will face the Orland Trojans at home on Tuesday, May 13, after press time, in a crucial game that could decide seeding for the playoffs. Right now, the Bulldogs stand with a 15-5 overall record and 5-4 in league. If the Bulldogs win this upcoming game against the Trojans, that could vault them to No. 2 in the league and help them hold on to their No. 1 seed in the Northern Section Division III. With a loss, it could mean a falling down to the No. 3 seed in the section forcing a win-to-play scenario in the playoffs rather than a first-round bye.