Softball Game Preview: Kelso Hilanders vs. Heritage Timberwolves

The Kelso Hilanders will square off against the Heritage Timberwolves at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. The timing is sure in Kelso's favor as the squad sits on three straight wins at home while Heritage has been banged up by four consecutive losses on the road.

Kelso managed to slip by Prairie the last time these teams faced off, but didn't have those same answers this time around. The Hilanders lost 9-0 to the Falcons on Thursday. Having soared to a lofty 19 runs in the game before, the Hilanders' shutout was a dramatic turnaround.

Heritage couldn't beat Mountain View on Friday even though they stacked four runs on them in the fourth inning. The Timberwolves fell just short of the Thunder by a score of 8-7.

Jaila Ellis put in work no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out ten batters over six innings while giving up three earned (and five unearned) runs off nine hits. Ellis was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run.

In other batting news, Skyler Jones was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. Kylie Thomas was another key player, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with one stolen base and one RBI.

Heritage now has a losing record of 6-7. As for Kelso, their defeat was their first in the district, dropping their district record down to 4-1 and their overall record down to 10-6.

Kelso came out on top in a nail-biter against Heritage in their previous matchup back in May of 2024, sneaking past 3-2. Will the Hilanders repeat their success, or do the Timberwolves have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.