Arizona Lutheran Academy hasn't had much luck against Heritage Academy recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. Arizona Lutheran Academy will be playing in front of their home fans against Heritage Academy at 4:00 p.m. Both teams are coming into the match red-hot, with Arizona Lutheran Academy sitting on three straight wins and Heritage Academy on seven.
Arizona Lutheran Academy is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victors by a 24-1 margin over North Valley Christian Academy on Wednesday. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the team's high-flying offense, the game also marked the team's biggest victory of the season.
Elie Drexler
| 03/26/25 @ North Valley Christian Academy | 10 |
| 04/22/24 @ Trivium Prep | 5 |
| 04/16/24 vs St. John Paul II Catholic | 10 |
Elie Drexler was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out ten over four innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts she has posted since back in April of 2024. She was also big at the plate, scoring three runs while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Ella Peltzer, who went 4-for-5 with one home run, six RBI, and three runs. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April of 2024. Jenna Danzeisen was another key player, going 3-for-4 with three stolen bases, three runs, and four RBI.
Arizona Lutheran Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .800. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Heritage Academy faced Horizon Honors in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Wednesday. Heritage Academy walked away with a 10-7 win over Horizon Honors.
Like Arizona Lutheran Academy, Heritage Academy also got a great game from a two-way player: Sieana Soltero. She pitched seven innings while giving up four earned (and three unearned) runs off 12 hits. Soltero has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-5 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Savana Soltero was incredible, firing off two home runs and five RBI while going 2-for-4. Another player making a difference was Gloriann Blanco, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4.
Heritage Academy pushed their record up to 12-1 with the victory, which was their fourth straight on the road. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.8 runs on average over those games. As for Arizona Lutheran Academy, their victory bumped their record up to 4-2.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Arizona Lutheran Academy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .541. However, it's not like Heritage Academy struggles in that department as they've averaged .564. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Arizona Lutheran Academy suffered a grim 16-0 defeat to Heritage Academy when the teams last played back in March of 2024. Will Arizona Lutheran Academy have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
