Softball Preview: Rogers Rams vs. Emerald Ridge Jaguars
After two games on the road, Rogers is heading back home. They will take on the Emerald Ridge Jaguars at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Rogers is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 8.4 runs per game this season.
Rogers put the finishing touches on their third blowout victory of the season on Wednesday. Everything went their way against Graham-Kapowsin as Rogers made off with a 9-2 win.
Keagan Norfleet made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out ten batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off six hits. Norfleet has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't pitched less than six innings in seven consecutive pitching appearances. Norfleet was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
In other batting news, Raygun Klippert was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing three bases while going 4-for-4. Sophee Acree was another key contributor, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, Emerald Ridge faced South Kitsap in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Wednesday. Emerald Ridge fell just short of South Kitsap by a score of 7-5. Emerald Ridge's loss signaled the end of their five-game winning streak.
Sarah Hurley and Abygale Redwine did some serious damage despite the final result: Hurley scored two runs while going 2-for-5, while Redwine went 3-for-4 with two doubles. The team also got some help courtesy of Taylor Orgeles, who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in two of her four plate appearances.
Rogers now has a winning record of 5-4. As for Emerald Ridge, their defeat was their first of the season and makes their record 5-1.
Tuesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Rogers has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .432. However, it's not like Emerald Ridge struggles in that department as they've averaged .468. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Rogers couldn't quite finish off Emerald Ridge when the teams last played back in March and fell 5-3. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Emerald Ridge's Alanna Wirtala, who struck out 11 batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off seven hits. Now that Rogers knows the damage she can cause, will they be able to stop her this time? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
