The Central Kitsap Cougars will face off against the River Ridge Hawks at 3:30 p.m. on Monday. Central Kitsap is coming into the match hot, having won their last four games.
While Central Kitsap didn't have the best season last year (they finished 8-17), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They blew past Silas 19-4 last Thursday. The Cougars might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six contests by seven runs or more this season.
Ari Linder
| 04/03/25 @ Silas | 4 |
| 03/19/25 vs Lincoln | 3 |
| 03/13/25 vs Kingston | 3 |
| 03/27/25 @ Bellarmine Prep | 1 |
Ari Linder looked comfortable as she tossed four innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. The dominant performance also gave her a new career-high in strikeouts (four).
On the hitting side, Addisyn Hinze was a standout: she went 3-for-6 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. That home run was her first of the season. Savvy Paulson was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 4-for-5.
Central Kitsap kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 16 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, River Ridge came up short against Gig Harbor on Thursday and fell 8-4. The defeat continues a trend for the Hawks in their meetings with the Tides: they've now lost seven in a row.
River Ridge saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Jaylah Sok Vandergriff, who went 1-for-3 with one home run and one stolen base. Another was Emma Liljenberg, who scored a run and stole two bases while getting on base in two of her four plate appearances.
Central Kitsap pushed their record up to 8-1 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average over those games. As for River Ridge, their loss dropped their record down to 6-5.
Monday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Central Kitsap has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .493. However, it's not like River Ridge struggles in that department as they've averaged .517. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Central Kitsap's way against River Ridge in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, as Central Kitsap made off with a 17-7 win. Will the Cougars repeat their success, or do the Hawks have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
