The Timberline Blazers will take on the Bellarmine Prep Lions at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. The timing is sure in Timberline's favor as the squad sits on five straight wins at home while Bellarmine Prep has been banged up by seven consecutive losses on the road.
Timberline lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Central Kitsap, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Thursday's matchup. The Blazers were the clear victors by a 10-3 margin over the Cougars on Thursday. Considering the Blazers have won seven games by more than six runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Nevaeh Haagen was a major factor no matter where she played. She tossed 2.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Haagen was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with three runs and one RBI.
In other batting news, Sophia Wiggs was excellent, going 1-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in May of 2024. Another player making a difference was Kayleese Dorfner, who got on base in two of her four plate appearances with two runs.
Meanwhile, Bellarmine Prep lost 18-5 to River Ridge on Thursday.
Fatima Echeverria was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI. Ashlyn Powell also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Bellarmine Prep's defeat dropped their record down to 1-11. As for Timberline, their win bumped their record up to 9-2.
Bellarmine Prep's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Monday. Timberline has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.2 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Bellarmine Prep, though, as they've been averaging only 1.5 strikeouts. Will Timberline keep running through batters, or will the Lions buck the trend?
Timberline was able to grind out a solid victory over Bellarmine Prep when the teams last played back in April of 2016, winning 5-2. Will the Blazers repeat their success, or do the Lions have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
