The Rogers Rams will head out to take on the Emerald Ridge Jaguars at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Rogers is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last 14 games.
Rogers proved they can win big on Monday (they won by ten) and on Tuesday they proved they can win the close ones too. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 3-1 win over Puyallup. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Rams have posted against the Vikings since April 4, 2023.
Sierra Murray
| 04/22/25 vs Puyallup | 13 |
| 04/21/25 vs South Kitsap | 12 |
| 04/17/25 @ Olympia | 12 |
| 04/15/25 @ Yelm | 9 |
| 04/09/25 @ Bonney Lake | 16 |
| + 8 more games |
Sierra Murray spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on three hits and racked up 13 Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 13 consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Payton Walling was excellent, going 2-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base. The team also got some help courtesy of Ryan Breer, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one RBI.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when Emerald Ridge took on Bonney Lake on Tuesday. The Jaguars were the clear victors by a 9-3 margin over the Panthers. Considering the Jaguars have won nine contests by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Alanna Wirtala made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She struck out 15 batters over seven innings while giving up three earned runs off five hits. Those 15 strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Ava Puttler, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, one triple, and one RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March. Jaycie Lindsay also deserves some recognition as she launched her first home run of the season.
Emerald Ridge kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least ten hits in three consecutive games.
Rogers pushed their record up to 15-1 with the win, which was their 13th straight at home dating back to last season. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.5 runs on average over those games. As for Emerald Ridge, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won nine of their last ten matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-4 record this season.
Wednesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Rogers hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .348. However, it's not like Emerald Ridge struggles in that department as they've averaged .433. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Rogers came out on top in a nail-biter against Emerald Ridge in their previous matchup back in March, sneaking past 2-1. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Rams since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
