The Ridgefield Spudders softball team outhit their opponents 36 to 16 while going 3-0 in a week that included two league wins.
First, the Spudders faced off against the Battle Ground Tigers on Monday, April 7, resulting in a 9-4 win for the Spuds. Ridgefield exploded to a 25-0 victory over Washougal High School in just four innings on offense on Tuesday, April 8. They finished off the week with a 7-2 win over Columbia River High School on Wednesday, April 9.
The Spuds now sit at 7-1 on the year with their only loss to Max Preps’ No. 1 overall 2A team, 2A Greater St. Helens League rival Mark Morris High School.
“We’re playing our game that we know we can,” Ridgefield head coach Kelsey Anchors said. “Knowing that we probably — in this league — have a target on our back and last year we had a good dogfight with Mark Morris, and it still is a dogfight with them this year. We love that about them. It’s going to be one of us on top, I think, and I think just knowing to play our game and keep cool, calm and collected and score runs where we can. Our pitching is solid, and so we’ll have a good defense behind us and win ball games where we can.”
In the 7-2 win over the Columbia River Rapids, the Spudders put the bat on the ball in almost every way possible. Left fielder Charlie Harris went 3-4 at the plate with a double, triple and single. The team collectively had two more triples and a double.
After gaining a 5-0 lead in three innings, Columbia River’s Emily Hull blasted one over the fence.
“Hats off to Emily Hull over at Columbia River. Like, you throw it anywhere over the plate, she’s going to hit a home run,” Anchors said. “She’s obviously the offensive MVP from last year for a reason.”
After Ridgefield found themselves in a tight situation with the game at 5-2, to gain insurance runs, they utilized situational bunts. Anchors said scoring this year has looked different compared to past years.
“I think the girls know, and that we’ve tried telling them, that this year is going to look a little different when it comes to offensive production,” she said. “And I think they’re really buying into that, you know. We’re not going to have the five to six home runs you’ve seen in years past.”
Anchors said that for her offense to score runs, hits in gaps have been key, and a lot of girls are able to do that, she added. Anchors acknowledged her quick runners that bat from the left side of the plate, which brings situational bunts into play, not just move runners, but for base hits.
The Spudders were boosted by Madeline Bruguier’s performance in the circle. She threw for seven strikeouts on just two walks and six hits. The defense also committed no errors. Anchors said the lockdown defense is a huge key to this season.
The Spudders next played at Woodland High School on Monday, April 14, but results were unavailable as of press time. They host the Hockinson Hawks on Wednesday, April 16, at 4:30 p.m.
