The Emerald Ridge Jaguars will face off against the Rogers Rams at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Both teams are coming into the matchup red-hot, with Emerald Ridge sitting on three straight wins and Rogers on 14.
Emerald Ridge barely beat Bonney Lake the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Jaguars blew past the Panthers 9-3 on Tuesday. The result was nothing new for the Jaguars, who have now won nine contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Alanna Wirtala
| 04/22/25 vs Bonney Lake | 15 |
| 05/01/24 vs Puyallup | 13 |
| 04/14/25 @ South Kitsap | 12 |
| 05/24/24 @ Moses Lake | 12 |
| 03/25/25 @ Rogers | 11 |
Alanna Wirtala was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, 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 big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one RBI.
In other batting news, Ava Puttler was incredible, going 3-for-4 with three runs, one triple, and one RBI. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March. Abygale Redwine was another key player, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs.
Emerald Ridge kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. They are a perfect 9-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Rogers hadn't done well against Puyallup recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. The Rams came out on top in a nail-biter against the Vikings, sneaking past 3-1. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Rams have posted against the Vikings since April 4, 2023.
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 nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 13 consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Payton Walling, who went 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.
Rogers pushed their record up to 15-1 with the win, which was their 13th straight at home dating back to last season. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.9 runs over those games. As for Emerald Ridge, their win bumped their record up to 12-4.
Emerald Ridge's speedy runners might be the difference in Wednesday's game. The Jaguars have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.9 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Rogers, though, as they've been averaging only 0.9 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Emerald Ridge continue to outrun the ball? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
