The Hillcrest Academy Raven summer teams are home for the first time this season when they entertain Danville on Thursday. The Hillcrest baseball team is 0-1 on the year after a 12-5 loss Tuesday at Highland. Seth Ours led the way for the Ravens in Riverside with three doubles and two RBI. Luke Schrock took the loss on the hill for Hillcrest, working four innings, allowing 14 hits, 11 runs, walking two and striking out three. Danville is 1-1 this year with a 6-3 win over Central Lee and a 5-0 loss to Cardinal. They are hitting .182 on the young season with Jaden Bauer banging out four hits. Henry Bellrichard has a pair of RBI so far. Bauer also leads the Bears on the mound with a 1-0 record in five innings, giving up three hits, two runs, walking three and striking out seven in the win over Central Lee. The Ravens have won 10 of the last 13 between the two schools, including the last five in a row.

The Raven girls are 0-2 this year after losses to Highland and Columbus by a combined 22-3 earlier this week. Hillcrest was 0-23 a year ago, hitting .269 as a team. Hillcrest lost top bat Madeline Fox from last year’s team but do return their next four hitters by the numbers including Evelyn Gerber with her .400 average. Esther Hughes was second on the team with 20 hits a year ago as a junior and Malia Yoder returns after leading the team with 11 RBI. The Ravens return all of their pitching from last year with Leah Bontrager and Malia Yoder combining for a 10.96 ERA, allowing 190 earned runs and striking out 65. Danville is 0-2 this year with losses to Central Lee and Cardinal by a combined 18-0 score. A season ago, the Bears hit .307 as a team and return Carlea Beckman with her .550 average, 33 total hits 18 runs scored and eight RBI. In the circle, Ava Smith is back this year for her senior season. She was 6-8 last year with a 4.43 ERA, allowing 118 hits, 80 runs and striking out 61. These two teams met last season with the Bears winning 12-2. Danville has taken 12 of the last 15 meetings including the last six straight. You can hear all of the softball action live tonight on AM 1380, FM 102.5 and KCIIradio.com, beginning with the Washington HyVee Pregame Show at 6:30 and the Heritage Area Agency on Aging first pitch at 7p.m. in Kalona.