The Olympia Bears will challenge the Bonney Lake Panthers at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Olympia is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.1 runs per game this season.
Olympia is probably headed into the matchup with a chip on their shoulder considering Graham-Kapowsin just ended the team's three-game winning streak on Friday. They fell just short of the Eagles by a score of 3-2.
Ava Bautista
| 04/25/25 @ Graham-Kapowsin | 8 |
| 04/23/25 vs Yelm | 8 |
| 04/18/25 @ Bonney Lake | 5 |
| 04/17/25 vs Rogers | 9 |
| 04/15/25 @ Puyallup | 8 |
| 04/11/25 @ North Thurston | 5 |
Ava Bautista put in work no matter where she played. She struck out eight batters over 6.1 innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in six consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Bautista wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Georgia Maurer, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Bonney Lake, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Wednesday. They never let Spanaway Lake get on the board and left with a 21-0 win on Friday. The result was nothing new for the Panthers, who have now won eight contests by eight runs or more so far this season.
Like Olympia, Bonney Lake also got a great game from a two-way player: Aspyn Evanson. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. Those 11 strikeouts gave Evanson a new career-high. She was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.
In other batting news, Addi Hanel was incredible, going 3-for-4 with four runs, five RBI, and one triple. Those five RBI gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Lauryn Lee, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI.
Bonney Lake was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .464. They are 6-1 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Bonney Lake now has a winning record of 9-8. As for Olympia, their defeat dropped their record down to 10-8.
Tuesday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Olympia hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .359. However, it's not like Bonney Lake struggles in that department as they've averaged .337. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Olympia beat Bonney Lake 5-2 in their previous matchup last Friday. Will the Bears repeat their success, or do the Panthers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
