Northwest Sports Update Vikings softball win GNAC, Mariners stay hot and more

The Seattle Mariners continued their impressive performance, winning their eighth consecutive series by defeating the Texas Rangers two out of three games over the weekend. They dominated with a 13-1 win on Friday and a close 2-1 victory on Saturday, though the Rangers managed to prevent a sweep with an 8-1 win on Sunday. Cal Raleigh's two home runs on Friday brought his season total to 12, leading all major league players. The Mariners will face the Athletics tonight, who are just two games behind in the AL West standings, as coverage begins at 6:00 PM with first pitch at 7:05 PM. In a significant move, the Rangers fired their offensive coordinator after a poor performance and appointed Bret Boone as their new hitting coach.

Additionally, Mariners pitcher George Kirby is on track to return to the major league rotation after completing a successful rehab outing. Mariners President Jerry Dipoto indicated that Kirby would likely need only a couple more rehab starts before rejoining the team. The Mariners now trail only Detroit for the best record in the American League.