The Vista Ridge Wolves will square off against the Grand Junction Tigers at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. The teams are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Vista Ridge has struggled recently with three defeats in a row, while Grand Junction will arrive with ten straight victories.
Vista Ridge couldn't beat Mesa Ridge on Saturday even though they stacked five runs on them in the first inning. The Wolves came up short against the Grizzlies, falling 12-6. While the Wolves didn't get the win, they did start the game off strong, beating the Grizzlies 5-0 in the first period.
Delaney Hamilton was cooking despite her team's loss, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBI. Jocelynn Kalkman was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one run and one double.
Meanwhile, Grand Junction faced Fruita Monument in a battle between two of the state's top teams last Tuesday. The Tigers beat the Wildcats by the very same score they won with in their prior game: 5-3.
Kloe Donahue spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on three hits and racked up 13 Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in nine consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Alexis Walpole, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Alysa Lorimor, who went 1-for-2 with one stolen base and one run.
Vista Ridge's loss dropped their record down to 14-8. As for Grand Junction, their win bumped their record up to 17-4.
Saturday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Vista Ridge hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .341. However, it's not like Grand Junction struggles in that department as they've averaged .377. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Vista Ridge took their victory against Grand Junction in their previous matchup back in August of 2019 by a conclusive 17-1 score. Will the Wolves repeat their success, or do the Tigers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
