Tumwater is 9-1 against Shelton since April of 2021 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Thunderbirds will challenge the Highclimbers at 4:30 p.m. Tumwater is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.5 runs per game this season.
Tumwater had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 11-run drubbing they dealt Black Hills on Wednesday. The Thunderbirds were the clear victors by a 13-2 margin over the Wolves. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Thunderbirds considering their two-run performance the matchup before.
Ella Ferguson was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off two hits (and only one walk). She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with two runs and one stolen base.
Marissa La Praim
| 05/07/25 vs Black Hills | 2 |
| 04/28/25 vs WF West | 1 |
| 04/14/25 @ Shelton | 1 |
| 03/17/25 vs Seattle Christian | 1 |
In other batting news, Marissa La Praim was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, six RBI, and three runs. The dominant performance also gave her a new career-high in doubles (two). Sarah Stevens was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
Tumwater lost a few balls and finished the game with three home runs. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Black Hills didn't launched any home runs.
Meanwhile, Shelton fell victim to Aberdeen and their airtight pitching crew on Wednesday. They came up short against the Bobcats, falling 6-0. The Highclimbers haven't had much luck with the Bobcats recently, as the team has come up short the last nine times they've met.
Tumwater pushed their record up to 14-3 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.8 runs on average over those games. As for Shelton, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-16.
Tumwater took their victory against Shelton when the teams last played two weeks ago by a conclusive 25-3 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Thunderbirds since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
