The Emerald Ridge Jaguars will venture away from home to square off against the South Kitsap Wolves at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Emerald Ridge knows how to get runs on the board -- the team has finished with ten runs or more in their past four games -- so hopefully South Kitsap likes a good challenge.
Emerald Ridge hadn't beaten Olympia on the road since April 12, 2021 but that history sure didn't bother them on Wednesday. The Jaguars were the clear victors by a 12-1 margin over the Bears. That's two games straight that the Jaguars have won by exactly 11 runs.
Alanna Wirtala
| 04/09/25 @ Olympia | 0 |
| 04/08/25 @ Yelm | 1 |
| 04/03/25 vs Sumner | 1 |
| 03/31/25 vs Bethel | 1 |
Alanna Wirtala spent all five innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on two hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Jayda Guadron and Abygale Redwine did most of the damage at the plate: Guadron went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs, while Redwine went 3-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. That home run marked the first that Guadron launched this season. Another player making a difference was Ava Puttler, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
They weren't the only ones working in the home run department: Emerald Ridge lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That's the most home runs they've posted since back in May of 2024.
Meanwhile, South Kitsap was able to grind out a solid win over Bethel on Wednesday, taking the game 7-2. The Wolves haven't had any issues with the Bison recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive victory against them.
Maleah Sawyers made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Sawyers was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Reagan Dale, who went 3-for-4 with four RBI and one double. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. Kelsie Hynek was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-2.
South Kitsap now has a winning record of 4-3. As for Emerald Ridge, their record is now 7-3.
Monday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Emerald Ridge has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .544. However, it's not like South Kitsap struggles in that department as they've averaged .497. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Emerald Ridge couldn't quite finish off South Kitsap in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 and fell 7-5. Can the Jaguars avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
