Softball Game Preview: Ridgeline Falcons vs. Southridge Suns

The Ridgeline Falcons will venture away from home to square off against the Southridge Suns on Tuesday. Ridgeline is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.9 runs per game this season.

Ridgeline is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past Cheney 8-6.

The team relied heavily on Quincy Coder, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Ada Case was another key player, earning two runs and one stolen base.

Meanwhile, Southridge fought the good fight in their extra-innings matchup against Hermiston on Friday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Bulldogs by a score of 8-6. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Suns have suffered against the Bulldogs since May 5, 2023.

Jadyn Holdren led a balanced group of hitters, going 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Constance Gates, who went 2-for-4 with one home run and two runs.

Ridgeline pushed their record up to 12-8 with the win, which was their third straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.0 runs over those games. As for Southridge, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost three of their last four contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 12-11 record this season.

Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Tuesday. Ridgeline hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.9 home runs per game. However, it's not like Southridge struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 0.6 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.

Ridgeline suffered a grim 11-1 defeat to Southridge when the teams last played back in May of 2023. Can the Falcons avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.