Southridge hasn't had much luck against Richland recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Suns will face off against the Bombers at 4:00 p.m. Southridge is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8 runs per game this season.
Southridge was handed a seven-run defeat in their previous outing, but that didn't affect their clutch gene on Tuesday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Kennewick, sneaking past 4-3. The Suns haven't had any issues with the Lions recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive victory against them.
Avery Garvey spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on five hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season.
At the plate, Constance Gates was excellent, going 1-for-3 with one home run. That home run marked the first that she launched this season.
Meanwhile, Richland put another one in the bag on Tuesday to keep their perfect season alive. They put the hurt on Hanford with a sharp 8-1 win. Considering the Bombers have won seven matchups by more than six runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Richland also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Ali Evans gave up a run (which was unearned) on two hits and racked up 12 Ks.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Jordan Brannon, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI. Brooklynn Boyce was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
Richland kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in five consecutive games.
Richland's victory was their seventh straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 11-0. As for Southridge, their record is now 9-4.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Thursday. Southridge hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 1.3 home runs per game. However, it's not like Richland struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 0.8 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.
Southridge suffered a grim 17-4 defeat to Richland in their previous matchup back in March of 2024. Can the Suns avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
