Softball Game Preview: West Valley Rams vs. East Valley Red Devils

A classic East v. West matchup is on the schedule. The West Valley Rams will square off against the East Valley Red Devils at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

West Valley is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 15 runs on Tuesday, they were much more limited against Montesano on Friday. They lost 13-2 to the Bulldogs. The Rams have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

West Valley saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Madisen Statler ?26, who went 1-for-2 with two RBI. Claire Saxton-Garza ?26 also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.

Meanwhile, East Valley waltzed into their game on Saturday with three straight wins... but they left with four. Everything went their way against the Wildcats as they made off with a 22-4 victory. Considering the Red Devils have won seven contests by more than five runs this season, Saturday's blowout was nothing new.

Tia Ramynke was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and only one walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with two RBI.

East Valley always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .591. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.

East Valley's record now sits at 7-2. As for West Valley, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-4.

Tuesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. West Valley has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .519. However, it's not like East Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .550. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.

West Valley came out on top in a nail-biter against East Valley when the teams last played two weeks ago, sneaking past 6-5. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Rams since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.