The Payette Pirates will challenge the Weiser Wolverines at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
Payette is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 17-16 victory over McCall-Donnelly on Wednesday. With that win, the Pirates brought their scoring average up to 6.2 runs per game.
The team relied heavily on Victoria Walker, who went 4-for-5 with one home run, four runs, and five RBI. The dominant performance also gave her a new career-high in doubles (two). Another player making a difference was Maddy Brown, who got on base in three of her five plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Meanwhile, Weiser faced Cole Valley Christian in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Wednesday. The Wolverines came out on top in a nail-biter against the Chargers, sneaking past 7-6. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Wolverines have posted since April 24, 2024.
Madi Janicek spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and four unearned) runs on six hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 11 consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Ellie Shirts was a standout: she went 3-for-5 with three RBI and one triple. Ali Navarrete was another key player, going 3-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.
Weiser kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They are a perfect 11-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Weiser's win was their 11th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 13-3. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.1 runs over those games. As for Payette, their win ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 6-11.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Monday. Payette hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.5 home runs per game. However, it's not like Weiser struggles in that department as they've been averaging 0.7 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.
Payette might still be hurting after the 22-8 loss they got from Weiser in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Will the Pirates have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
