Hanford is on a three-game streak of home wins, while Chiawana is on a four-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Falcons will host the Riverhawks on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Hanford is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They were the clear victors by a 10-3 margin over Lewis & Clark. That's two games straight that the Falcons have won by exactly seven runs.
Alanah Eagleheart
| 05/06/25 vs Lewis & Clark | 8 |
| 05/02/25 @ Southridge | 9 |
| 04/29/25 @ Moses Lake | 6 |
| 04/25/25 vs Pasco | 6 |
| 04/18/25 @ Kamiakin | 9 |
| + 7 more games |
Alanah Eagleheart was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out eight batters over 4.1 innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in 12 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in two of her three plate appearances with two stolen bases and one run.
In other batting news, Hanford got a big performance out of Jadyn Owens, who went 2-for-4 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run. Another player making a difference was Kenzie Hofstad, who went 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Hanford was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .393. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .300 or higher in seven consecutive matchups.
Chiawana never got on the board in their matchup on Friday, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against Mead on Tuesday. They put the hurt on the Panthers with a sharp 11-5 victory. The Riverhawks haven't had any issues with the Panthers recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Gabriella Garza spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and three unearned) runs on nine hits and racked up six Ks.
At the plate, Chase Wirt was a standout: she went 4-for-5 with three runs, one double, and one RBI. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. Amelia Smith was another key player, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs and one RBI.
Hanford has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won seven of their last eight contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 19-4 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.5 runs over those games. As for Chiawana, their win bumped their record up to 14-6.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Hanford hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .386. However, it's not like Chiawana struggles in that department as they've averaged .385. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hanford was able to grind out a solid victory over Chiawana when the teams last played back in April, winning 9-5. Do the Falcons have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Riverhawks turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
