The Montesano Bulldogs will face off against Pe Ell/Willapa Valley at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Montesano is coming into the contest hot, having won their last six games.
On Friday, Montesano needed a bit of extra time to put away Battle Ground. They had just enough and edged out the Tigers 4-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Bulldogs have posted since May 10, 2024.
Violet Prince
| 04/11/25 vs Battle Ground | 1 |
| 04/09/25 @ Elma | 0 |
| 04/09/25 @ Elma | 1 |
Violet Prince spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on four hits and racked up 11 Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Montesano saw nine different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Alexa Stanfield, who went 3-for-4 with one stolen base.
Stanfield wasn't the only one making solid contact: Montesano kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in six consecutive games.
The home team had won the previous five meetings between Pe Ell/Willapa Valley and Forks, and Pe Ell/Willapa Valley kept the tradition alive. Pe Ell/Willapa Valley was the clear victor by an 18-5 margin over Forks on Wednesday. Pe Ell/Willapa Valley might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five matches by 11 runs or more this season.
Lauren Matlock was incredible, scoring two runs while going 3-for-3. Another player making a difference was Rilyn Channell, who scored three runs while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Pe Ell/Willapa Valley's win was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 7-2. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.3 runs on average over those games. As for Montesano, their win bumped their record up to 7-3-2.
Monday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Montesano has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .440. However, it's not like Pe Ell/Willapa Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .524. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Montesano was able to grind out a solid victory over Pe Ell/Willapa Valley in their previous meeting back in May of 2023, winning 8-5. Will the Bulldogs repeat their success, or do Pe Ell/Willapa Valley have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
