The Centennial Coyotes are taking a road trip to take on the Sunrise Mountain Mustangs at 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Centennial gave up the first runs last Friday, but they didn't let that get them down. They blew past Arcadia 18-7. The Coyotes have beaten the Titans the last three times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Titans has come to flipping the script.
Kylee Raven tossed a big game, pitching five innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off five hits.
At the plate, Centennial got a massive performance out of Annalise Macias, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-5. Those two stolen bases gave Macias a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Brooke Denton, who scored four runs and stole a base while going 4-for-5.
Centennial always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .537. That was just more of the same: they've now posted an OBP of .500 or higher in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Sunrise Mountain, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Thursday. Everything went their way against Desert Ridge on Friday as Sunrise Mountain made off with a 12-2 win. The high-scoring effort was just what the Mustangs needed considering they were shut out in their previous game.
Mackenzie Catalanotte made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She pitched four innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. She was even better at the plate, going 1-for-2 with one home run and three RBI.
In other batting news, Sunrise Mountain let Mckenna Morgan and Chelsea Mcmanus run wild. Morgan scored a run while going 2-for-4, while Mcmanus went a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBI and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Kaylee Pruetz, who scored three runs while going 3-for-3.
Sunrise Mountain is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last eight matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-6 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 4.0 runs on average over those games. Centennial's record now sits at 8-6-1.
Tuesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Centennial has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .545. However, it's not like Sunrise Mountain struggles in that department as they've averaged .455. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Centennial's way against Sunrise Mountain in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, as Centennial made off with a 14-4 win. Does Centennial have another victory up their sleeve, or will Sunrise Mountain turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
