Big series up next for Frogs

The showdown begins tonight. Twelve games in 16 days with the Northwest League’s West Division title at stake.

Tonight the Everett AquaSox and the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes begin their epic 16-day battle to determine West Division supremacy.

The West Division has been a two-horse race the entire season, with the AquaSox nipping at the Volcanoes’ heels throughout. Going into Saturday night’s games, Salem-Keizer held a three-game lead over Everett with no other team in the picture.

Therefore, the quirk of scheduling that had Everett and Salem-Keizer play out their entire season series in the season’s final four weeks now becomes something of a playoff series.

The stretch begins with a three-game series at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer, Ore. After an off day Wednesday the series resumes Thursday with a three-game series at Everett Memorial Stadium.

Head-to-head play takes a brief hiatus from Aug. 23-25 when the Sox play host to Eugene and the Volcanoes entertain Vancouver. But then it’s back to head-to-head action, first with another three-game series in Keizer, then finishing off with a three-game series at Everett.

Whomever emerges with the advantage at the end of the stretch should have done enough to put themselves clear. Just six games remain in the season following the final head-to-head matchup.

Everett is receiving reinforcements just in time for the series. Slugging first baseman Gerardo Avila, who missed most of the Boise series after being hit in the cheek by a pitch, is expected to return. Outfielder Ryan Royster and pitcher Jonathan Hesketh are also rejoining the team. Both Royster, arguably Everett’s most effective offensive player in the first half of the season, and Hesketh, a valuable left-handed reliever, had been promoted to Clinton of the mid-Class A Midwest League two weeks ago.

It could come down to strength vs. strength. Everett leads the league in batting (.288), while Salem-Keizer leads the league in ERA (3.45).