Pe Ell/Willapa Valley will square off against the Colfax Bulldogs at 10:00 a.m. on Friday. One thing working in Pe Ell/Willapa Valley's favor is that they have posted at least ten runs in their last six contests.
Pe Ell/Willapa Valley is probably headed into the matchup with a chip on their shoulder considering Raymond/South Bend just ended the team's five-game winning streak on Thursday. They fell 18-14 to the Ravens.
Lauren Matlock stepped up to lead a balanced group of hitters: she went 3-for-5 with three runs and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Karli Phelps, who went 2-for-4 with one home run and two runs.
Meanwhile, after low-scoring totals in their previous four game, Colfax brought some dynamite into their most recent contest. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Asotin two weeks ago, sneaking past 10-8. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Bulldogs have posted since April 1st.
Marchele McNeilly tossed a big game, pitching 4.1 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off four hits.
On the hitting side, Izzy Huntley was a standout: she went 1-for-3 with three stolen bases, two RBI, and one run. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Layla Inman, who went 2-for-4 with three runs and two RBI.
The victory got Colfax back to even at 11-11. As for Pe Ell/Willapa Valley, their loss was their first in the district, dropping their district record down to 12-1 and their overall record down to 18-5.
Friday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Pe Ell/Willapa Valley hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .498. However, it's not like Colfax struggles in that department as they've averaged .328. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Pe Ell/Willapa Valley was able to grind out a solid win over Colfax in their previous matchup back in May of 2015, winning 10-6. Does Pe Ell/Willapa Valley have another victory up their sleeve, or will Colfax turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
