Baseball Game Preview: Nezperce Nighthawks vs. Potlatch Loggers

Nezperce hasn't had much luck against Potlatch recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Nighthawks will square off against the Loggers at 4:30 p.m. Nezperce has given up an average of 15.3 runs per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Nezperce came up short against Clearwater Valley on Thursday, falling 23-9.

Will Mahorney was cooking despite his team's loss, scoring a run while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. He also brought in two RBI, marking his first of the season. Jadin Williams was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-2.

Meanwhile, Potlatch hadn't done well against Clearwater Valley recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Wednesday. The Loggers were the clear victors by a 10-4 margin over the Rams. The Loggers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won three matches by six runs or more this season.

The team relied heavily on Waylan Marshall, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Those four RBI gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Jay Marshall, who went 2-for-4 with four RBI, two doubles, and one run.

Potlatch always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .533. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Clearwater Valley only posted an OBP of .281.

The victory (which was Potlatch's third in a row) raised their record to 4-1. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.7 runs over those games. As for Nezperce, their loss dropped their record down to 1-6.

Nezperce might still be hurting after the 15-0 defeat they got from Potlatch when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can the Nighthawks avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.