The Chiawana Riverhawks will challenge the Hermiston Bulldogs at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Chiawana gave up the first runs on Tuesday, but they didn't let that get them down. Everything went their way against Pasco as they made off with a 15-2 victory. The Riverhawks might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight matches by seven runs or more this season.
Amelia Smith made a big impact no matter where she played. She struck out nine batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off two hits (and only one walk). She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March.
Avigail Rojas
| 04/15/25 @ Pasco | 4 |
| 04/08/25 vs Pasco | 3 |
| 03/18/25 vs Othello | 3 |
| 04/01/25 vs Walla Walla | 1 |
| 03/28/25 vs Kamiakin | 1 |
In other batting news, Chiawana got a massive performance out of Avigail Rojas, who went 2-for-3 with one home run and four RBI. Those four RBI gave Rojas a new career-high. Chase Wirt was another key player, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base.
Chiawana hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post two or more strikeouts.
Meanwhile, Hermiston came up short against Kennewick on Friday, falling 24-18. That's two games in a row now that the Bulldogs have lost by exactly six runs.
Kenley Venoy stepped up to lead a balanced group of hitters: she went 3-for-5 with five RBI, one run, and one double. Another player making a difference was Alexis Sinor, who scored two runs while going 2-for-4.
Chiawana has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-4 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Hermiston, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 6-6.
Hermiston's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Chiawana has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.8 hits per game. It's a different story for Hermiston, though, as they've been averaging 8.7 hits. Given Chiawana's sizable advantage in that area, the Bulldogs will need to find a way to close that gap.
Chiawana took their victory against Hermiston when the teams last played back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 17-2 score. Will the Riverhawks repeat their success, or do the Bulldogs have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
