The Kamiak Knights will face off against the Snohomish Panthers at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
On Saturday, Kamiak earned a 10-6 victory over Edmonds-Woodway. Considering the Knights' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Gabby Veighey made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over seven innings while giving up six earned runs off ten hits (and only one walk). Veighey was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with three RBI, one run, and one double. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Emma Stansfield, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Synclair Mawudeku, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one double.
Meanwhile, Snohomish had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7.5 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Friday. They put the hurt on the Hawks with a sharp 14-3 win. The Panthers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six contests by seven runs or more this season.
Like Kamiak, Snohomish also got a great game from a two-way player: Abby Edwards. On the mound, she struck out 15 batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off five hits. Edwards has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also big at the plate, going 4-for-5 with one home run, three RBI, and one double.
In other batting news, Snohomish let Kamryn Best and Roz Girard run wild. Best went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI, while Girard went a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. That home run was Best's first of the season. Hannah Siegler was another key player, going 3-for-5 with two runs and one RBI.
Snohomish kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 18 hits. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their hit total in three consecutive matchups.
Kamiak has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won seven of their last eight games. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-4 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.1 runs on average over those games. As for Snohomish, their win bumped their record up to 10-5.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Monday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Kamiak has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Snohomish struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 10.7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Kamiak took their victory against Snohomish in their previous matchup back in March by a conclusive 12-3 score. Will the Knights repeat their success, or do the Panthers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
