Softball Preview: Coconino Panthers vs. Flagstaff Eagles
Coconino and Flagstaff are an even 5-5 against one another since April of 2019, but likely not for long. The Coconino Panthers will be playing in front of their home fans against the Flagstaff Eagles at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both teams have allowed few runs on average, (Coconino: 2.9, Flagstaff: 3.5) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Coconino is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to ten runs on Monday, they were much more limited against Salpointe Catholic on Tuesday. They took a 5-1 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Lancers.
Kaitlyn Tso spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and one unearned) runs on eight hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in 17 consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, Coconino saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Danica Kern, who scored a run while going 2-for-3.
Flagstaff lost 13-1 to Eastmark on Tuesday.
Coconino's loss ended a nine-game streak of away wins and brought them to 22-7. As for Flagstaff, their defeat dropped their record down to 19-10.
Thursday's game will be a test for both team's pitchers. Coconino hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .401. However, it's not like Flagstaff struggles in that department as they've averaged .357. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Coconino beat Flagstaff 8-3 in their previous meeting last Monday. Does Coconino have another victory up their sleeve, or will Flagstaff turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
