Softball Game Preview: Chiawana Riverhawks vs. Kennewick Lions

The Chiawana Riverhawks will take on the Kennewick Lions at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Chiawana has five straight victories, Kennewick has four straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.

On Tuesday, Chiawana made easy work of Kennewick and carried off a 10-1 win. Considering the Riverhawks have won ten games by more than six runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.

Gabriella Garza spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on four hits and racked up six Ks. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in six consecutive appearances.

Chase Wirt

Runs (Career)

04/22/25 @ Kennewick	3
04/15/25 @ Pasco	2
04/08/25 vs Pasco	2
03/18/25 vs Othello	2
04/01/25 vs Walla Walla	1

On the hitting side, Chiawana got a massive performance out of Chase Wirt, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. Those three runs gave Wirt a new career-high. Avigail Rojas was another key player, going 1-for-4 with one home run and four RBI.

They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Chiawana kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. They are a perfect 9-0 when they post 11 or more hits.

Chiawana pushed their record up to 12-4 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Kennewick, their loss dropped their record down to 7-12.

Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Tuesday. Chiawana hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.6 home runs per game. However, it's not like Kennewick struggles in that department as they've been averaging 0.5 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.