The North Thurston Rams will head out on the road to challenge the River Ridge Hawks at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
North Thurston took a loss when they played away from home on Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Monday. They were the clear victors by a 27-2 margin over Capital. The Rams haven't had any issues with the Cougars recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.
Paige Guyer made a splash no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out eight over five innings pitched. Guyer was also stellar in the batter's box, going 4-for-5 with five runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Saidee Trolson, who fired off five runs, four doubles, and four RBI while going 4-for-4. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Syriahs Trolson, who went 2-for-4 with five RBI, two runs, and one triple.
North Thurston always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .667. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Capital only posted an OBP of .286.
Meanwhile, River Ridge never let their opponents score on Tuesday. Everything went their way against Lakes as they made off with an 18-0 victory. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Hawks considering their one-run performance the contest before.
Raylie Birklid made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out nine over five innings pitched. Birklid was also big at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two triples, four RBI, and two runs. Those triples were her first of the season.
North Thurston's record is now 9-7. As for River Ridge, their record now sits at 8-9.
Wednesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. North Thurston has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .513. However, it's not like River Ridge struggles in that department as they've averaged .446. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went North Thurston's way against River Ridge when the teams last played back in April, as North Thurston made off with a 14-1 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Rams since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
