Middleton has gone a perfect 10-0 against Caldwell recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Vikings will be playing at home against the Cougars at 7:00 p.m. Middleton is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.7 runs per game this season.
Middleton lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Timberline, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Thursday's contest. The Vikings blew past the Wolves 14-2 on Thursday. The win was nothing new for the Vikings as they're now sitting on three straight.
Averi Gustafson
| 03/26/26 @ Timberline | 12 |
| 03/22/25 vs Fruitland | 11 |
| 03/17/26 @ Eagle | 9 |
| 03/12/26 @ Mountain View | 9 |
| 03/21/25 vs Century | 9 |
Averi Gustafson made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 12 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off six hits (and only one walk). Those 12 strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
In other batting news, Haylee Hultner was a standout: she went 4-for-5 with three runs, one triple, and one stolen base. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. Samantha Miller was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two triples, two RBI, and one run.
Middleton was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .462. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Timberline only posted a batting average of .214.
While Caldwell didn't have the best season last year (they finished 10-16), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Meridian on Wednesday, sneaking past 5-3.
Like Middleton, Caldwell also got a great game from a two-way player: Rylie Felton. She struck out nine batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. Felton has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one home run. That home run marked the first that she has launched this season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Nancy Dramitinos, who went 1-for-2 with two runs and one double. That double was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Bristol Runnels, who went 1-for-2 with one stolen base and two RBI.
Caldwell's victory bumped their record up to 6-4. As for Middleton, their win bumped their record up to 9-2.
Caldwell's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Middleton has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .443. It's a different story for Caldwell, though, as they've only averaged .360. Will they be able to contain Middleton's hitters?
Everything went Middleton's way against Caldwell in their previous matchup back in April of 2025, as Middleton made off with a 12-1 victory. Will the Vikings repeat their success, or do the Cougars have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
