Meridian hasn't had much luck against Nooksack Valley recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. The Trojans will venture away from home to face off against the Pioneers at 9:00 a.m. Meridian has given up an average of 14.7 runs per game this season, but Saturday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Meridian is headed into Saturday's match looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their ninth straight game on Thursday. They lost 17-0 to Lynden Christian.
Meanwhile, Nooksack Valley entered their tilt with Ferndale on Thursday with six consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with seven. Their pitchers stepped up to hand the Golden Eagles an 11-0 shutout. The Pioneers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven games by six runs or more this season.
Payton Bartl made a big impact no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over four innings pitched. Bartl was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with two runs. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Gracie Rutgers, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Alayna Dykstra, who got on base in three of her five plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Nooksack Valley always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .556. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Ferndale only posted an OBP of .250.
Nooksack Valley's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 11-3. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.7 runs on average over those games. As for Meridian, their loss dropped their record down to 2-12.
Saturday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Meridian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .453. However, it's not like Nooksack Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .510. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Meridian couldn't quite get it done against Nooksack Valley in their previous meeting back in May of 2024 as they fell 10-6. Can the Trojans avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
