The Chiawana Riverhawks will face off against the Richland Bombers at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Chiawana comes in on six and Richland on five.
While Chiawana's win against Kennewick wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Riverhawks had just enough and edged out the Lions 4-3 on Tuesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Riverhawks have posted since March 28th.
Gabriella Garza
| 04/29/25 vs Kennewick | 2 |
| 04/22/25 @ Kennewick | 2 |
| 04/18/25 vs Hermiston | 2 |
Gabriella Garza spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on five hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Jessica Melendez was excellent, going 2-for-4 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run. Chase Wirt was another key player, going 1-for-4 with one home run.
Meanwhile, Richland got the win against Hermiston on Tuesday by a conclusive 13-3. The Bombers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 13 contests by six runs or more this season.
Sophia Sams was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing three innings while giving up no earned runs off five hits. Sams was even better at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Jordan Brannon, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. That's the most runs she has posted over her last 12 games. The team also got some help courtesy of Brooklynn Boyce, who went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, and one run.
Richland kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 17 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in 13 consecutive matchups.
Chiawana's win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 13-4. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.3 runs over those games. As for Richland, their win bumped their record up to 18-1.
Chiawana couldn't quite get it done against Richland when the teams last played back in May of 2024 as they fell 8-5. Will the Riverhawks have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
