The La Grande Tigers will head out to face off against the Fruitland Grizzlies at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. La Grande is currently enjoying a perfect season and no doubt wants to keep things rolling.
La Grande barely beat Gladstone the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Tigers blew past the Gladiators 11-1 on Friday. The Tigers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five matchups by seven runs or more this season.
Carlee Strand
| 03/28/25 @ Gladstone | 2 |
| 03/26/25 vs Vale | 1 |
| 03/22/25 vs Twin Falls | 1 |
Carlee Strand spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on two hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two hits in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Peyton Daggett was a standout: she scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Marti Anderson, who went 1-for-4 with one home run and four RBI.
Meanwhile, Fruitland won against Payette on Monday with 11 runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Wednesday. The Grizzlies came out on top against the Pirates by a score of 11-8. The victory continues a trend for the Grizzlies in their matchups with the Pirates: they've now won four in a row.
Fruitland also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Roxy Mason gave up six earned (and two unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up eight Ks. Those hits marked the first that Mason allowed this season.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Maite Stringer, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-3. That hit marked the first that she got this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Lydia Jangula, who scored two runs while getting on base in two of her four plate appearances.
Fruitland now has a winning record of 6-5. As for La Grande, their win bumped their record up to 7-0.
Saturday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. La Grande hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .387. However, it's not like Fruitland struggles in that department as they've averaged .320. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went La Grande's way against Fruitland when the teams last played back in April of 2019, as La Grande made off with a 12-0 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Tigers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
