Softball Game Preview: Arizona College Prep Knights vs. Paradise Valley Trojans

The Arizona College Prep Knights are taking a road trip to take on the Paradise Valley Trojans at 3:45 p.m. on Friday. Arizona College Prep is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last 16 games.

On Wednesday, Arizona College Prep got the win against Horizon by a conclusive 12-2. The Knights might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 14 contests by six runs or more this season.

Liliana Gagnon spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on three hits and racked up ten Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Shelby O'Donnal was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Taylor Estrella, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-4.

O'Donnal wasn't the only one making solid contact: Arizona College Prep kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in three consecutive games.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Paradise Valley). They won by a run and slipped past North Canyon 20-19. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Trojans have posted since April 11, 2024.

Arizona College Prep's win was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 18-3. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Paradise Valley, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-10.