vs
| 05/14/24 - Away | 10-6 W |
| 04/30/24 - Home | 5-7 L |
| 05/02/23 - Away | 12-8 W |
| 05/19/22 - Away | 12-0 W |
| 04/25/22 - Home | 16-3 W |
| + 5 more games |
Nooksack Valley is 9-1 against Meridian since March of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Saturday. The Pioneers will be playing in front of their home fans against the Trojans at 9:00 a.m. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Nooksack Valley has seven straight victories, Meridian has nine straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Nooksack Valley's pitching crew heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Thursday. They blew past Ferndale 11-0. The result was nothing new for the Pioneers, who have now won seven matches by six runs or more so far this season.
Payton Bartl made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over four innings pitched. Bartl was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with two runs. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Gracie Rutgers was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Alayna Dykstra, who got on base in three of her five plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Nooksack Valley always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .556. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Ferndale only posted an OBP of .250.
Meanwhile, Meridian fell victim to Lynden Christian and their airtight pitching crew on Thursday. They lost 17-0 to the Lyncs.
Nooksack Valley pushed their record up to 11-3 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.7 runs over those games. As for Meridian, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-12.
Saturday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Nooksack Valley has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .510. However, it's not like Meridian struggles in that department as they've averaged .453. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Nooksack Valley beat Meridian 10-6 in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Do the Pioneers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Trojans turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
