Softball Game Preview: Rio Rico Hawks vs. Thatcher Eagles

It'll be a Battle of the Birds when Rio Rico Hawks face off against Thatcher Eagles at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Rio Rico will be strutting in after a victory while Thatcher will be coming in after a defeat.

Rio Rico headed into their last game having not scored more than two runs for eight straight, but Amphitheater let them put that streak behind them. Rio Rico blew past Amphitheater 17-3 on Monday. The Hawks' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.

Rio Rico let Mariana Santamaria and Ximena Zuniga run wild. Santamaria went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI, while Zuniga scored three runs while going 1-for-1. That triple marked the first that Santamaria hit this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Kenia Navarro, who went 1-for-2 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.

Meanwhile, Thatcher fought the good fight in their extra-innings matchup against Pusch Ridge Christian Academy on Tuesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Lions by a score of 9-8.

Kalli Bingham was cooking despite her team's loss, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4. The dominant performance also gave her a new career-high in doubles (two). Another player making a difference was Kacee McCluskey, who scored a run while going 4-for-5.

Thatcher has traveled a rocky road recently, having lost three of their last four contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 9-8 record this season. Rio Rico's first win this season bumped their record up to 1-9.