The Ridgefield Raptors will play their last game against the NW Star Nighthawks this summer on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. in Ridgefield. The two teams split a pair of games in June so this matchup will decide the season series.
The Raptors are also at home Sunday for a 1:05 start with the Highline Bears. Kids 12 and under get in free with a paid adult for all Sunday games at the RORC.
Coming off a sweep over the Port Angeles Lefties, Ridgefield is 22-14 in overall games this year, including a 12-4 record at home. The Raptors hosted their biggest crowd of the year on Thursday with 1,311 fans on hand to watch the Raptors beat Port Angeles, 4-2.
With the sweep, Ridgefield improved to 5-1 in West Coast League games in the second half. That ties Ridgefield with Corvallis in second half games. On the season, Ridgefield is 18-12 in WCL games. The Corvallis Knights won the first half title and claimed a playoff berth; one more spot remains for the second half winner.
The Raptors bats have been hot lately, especially shortstop John Peck. The 18-year-old from Pepperdine is on an 11-game hit streak, and all three of his home runs this summer have come in the last week. He blasted a 2-run bomb to left field on Wednesday that registered at 106 MPH off the bat.
As a team, Ridgefield leads the WCL with 20 home runs on the year, while also topping the league in runs scored, hits, doubles, batting average and slugging percentage.
The Raptors have also been cruising lately with their starting pitchers. In the Port Angeles series, Joey Martin and Ryan Harvey both went five innings with one earned run, while Brock Gillis went six innings without a run allowed. Jaren Hunter’s most recent start was also solid: six innings with one run allowed. Nate Weeldreyer also had a six-inning, no-run performance recently, and Ridgefield has now gone nine games in a row with the starting pitcher allowing two earned runs or fewer.