Hanford has won seven straight games at home, while Richland has won seven straight on the road dating back to last season, but those streaks won't matter much on Tuesday. The Falcons will welcome the Bombers at 5:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Ten must be Hanford's lucky number: they beat Walla Walla with that score not once but twice on Friday. The Falcons didn't even let the Blue Devils on the board, marking the Falcons' second-straight 10-0 shutout. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last five times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
Heidi Sweet made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 11 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
Ava Whitish
| 04/11/25 vs Walla Walla | 2 |
| 03/15/25 vs Kiona-Benton | 1 |
| 04/26/24 vs Walla Walla | 1 |
| 04/12/24 @ Southridge | 1 |
| 03/26/24 @ Kennewick | 1 |
In other batting news, Hanford let Kenzie Hofstad and Ava Whitish run wild. Hofstad scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-2, while Whitish scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3. The dominant performance also gave Whitish a new career-high in RBI (two). Another player making a difference was Audrey Roberts, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, Richland put their dominant pitchers on display in the team's third consecutive shutout on Thursday. They never let Pasco get on the board and left with a 22-0 win. The Bombers' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Like Hanford, Richland also got a great game from a two-way player: Sophia Sams. She pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Sams was even better at the plate, going 3-for-4 with six RBI, three runs, and two doubles.
In other batting news, Richland got a massive performance out of Payton Chacon, who scored three runs while going 2-for-3. Aubrey Bolson was another key player, scoring three runs while going 3-for-3.
Richland kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 16 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in four consecutive matches.
Hanford's victory bumped their record up to 12-2. As for Richland, their win bumped their record up to 10-0.
Hanford couldn't quite get it done against Richland in their previous matchup on Tuesday as they fell 5-0. Will the Falcons have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
