Baseball Game Preview: Mohave Thunderbirds vs. Flagstaff Eagles

Mohave hasn't had much luck against Flagstaff recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. It'll be a Battle of the Birds when Mohave Thunderbirds face off against Flagstaff Eagles at 11:00 a.m.

Mohave came into this matchup off a tough ten-run loss last Wednesday. This time they kept things ultra-competitive, but unfortunately the final result was the same. They fell just short of Westview by a score of 7-5 on Friday. The Thunderbirds' defeat continues a trend for the team, making it four in a row.

Meanwhile, it was close, but on Wednesday Flagstaff sidestepped Deer Valley for a 4-2 win.

Will Carpenter spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on five hits and racked up eight Ks. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in March of 2024.

At the plate, Payne Lowry was excellent, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3. Tobyn Phillips was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.

Lowry wasn't the only one working in the hit department: Flagstaff kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. Flagstaff is a perfect 5-0 when they post 11 or more hits.

Flagstaff has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-5 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games. Mohave's loss dropped their record down to 5-9.

Mohave came up short against Flagstaff in their previous matchup back in March of 2024, falling 10-6. Can Mohave avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.