Softball Recap: Desert Heights Prep Triumphs

After having lost a blowout in their previous game against ALA - Anthem South, Desert Heights Prep was happy to have turned things around on Wednesday. They narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past the Chino Valley Cougars 8-6. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Yote have posted since March 28, 2025.

Nicole Bryan looked comfortable as she struck out seven batters over four innings while giving up three earned (and three unearned) runs off five hits.

At the plate, Desert Heights Prep let Bayli Johnson and Anna Fjell run wild. Johnson went a perfect 2-for-2 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run, while Fjell went a perfect 2-for-2 with three runs and one RBI. Johnson also brought in an RBI, marking her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Chanel Gonzalez, who went 1-for-2 with one triple and one RBI.

The win got Desert Heights Prep back to even at 2-2. As for Chino Valley, they are on a five-game losing streak (dating back to last season) that has dropped them down to 0-3.

Looking ahead, Desert Heights Prep will square off against Payson at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday. The Longhorns have struggled to contain batters this season (they've allowed nine runs per game on average), something the Yote will no doubt try to take advantage of. As for Chino Valley, they will be playing at home against Winslow at 3:45 p.m. on Monday.