Chiawana is 2-8 against Hanford since April of 2022 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Riverhawks will square off against the Falcons. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Chiawana is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They blew past Mead 11-5. The high-scoring effort was just what the Riverhawks needed considering they were shut out in their previous matchup.
Gabriella Garza spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and three unearned) runs on nine hits and racked up six Ks.
Chase Wirt
| 05/06/25 @ Mead | 4 |
| 03/25/25 @ Walla Walla | 3 |
| 05/02/25 vs Richland | 2 |
| 04/22/25 @ Kennewick | 2 |
| 04/18/25 vs Hermiston | 2 |
At the plate, Chase Wirt was a standout: she went 4-for-5 with three runs, one double, and one RBI. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. Amelia Smith was another key player, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs and one RBI.
Chiawana hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They are a perfect 9-0 when they post two or more strikeouts.
Meanwhile, Hanford entered their tilt with Lewis & Clark on Tuesday with five consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with six. They put the hurt on the Tigers with a sharp 10-3 win. That's two games straight that the Falcons have won by exactly seven runs.
Alanah Eagleheart was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She struck out eight batters over 4.1 innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in 12 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in two of her three plate appearances with two stolen bases and one run.
In other batting news, Hanford got a big performance out of Jadyn Owens, who went 2-for-4 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run. Another player making a difference was Kenzie Hofstad, who went 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Chiawana is on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last nine contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 14-6 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.2 runs over those games. As for Hanford, their win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 19-4.
Both Chiawana and Hanford just can't seem to miss. The Riverhawks have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10.1 hits per game. However, it's not like Hanford struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 4.5 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Chiawana came up short against Hanford in their previous meeting back in April, falling 9-5. Can the Riverhawks avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
