Zuni is 2-8 against Navajo Prep since June of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Thunderbirds will look to defend their home field against the Eagles at 4:00 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Having struggled with nine losses in a row, Zuni turned things around against Newcomb on Tuesday. They skirted past the Skyhawks 14-12. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Thunderbirds have posted since April 23, 2024.
Kiaura Kallestewa
| 04/29/25 @ Newcomb | 4 |
| 05/07/24 @ Navajo Prep | 3 |
| 04/23/24 vs Thoreau | 3 |
| 04/08/25 vs Wingate | 2 |
| 03/29/25 vs Northwest | 2 |
Kiaura Kallestewa was a standout: she went 2-for-4 with one home run and four runs. Those four runs gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Malaya Quam, who went 3-for-5 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
Zuni was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .381. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Navajo Prep had already won six in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 10.5 runs) and they went ahead and made it seven on Tuesday. They put the hurt on the Hawks with a sharp 17-2 win. Considering the Eagles have won ten matchups by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Shianne Begay made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing three innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off four hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kira Begay, who went 2-for-3 with three runs, four RBI, and two doubles. Amia Salazar was another key player, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Navajo Prep pushed their record up to 16-5 with the victory, which was their eighth straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 23.5 runs over those games. As for Zuni, their victory was their first in the district, bumping their district record up to 1-7 and their overall record up to 5-16.
Zuni suffered a grim 18-7 defeat to Navajo Prep when the teams last played back in March. Can the Thunderbirds avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
