Queen Creek has won five straight games at home, while Red Mountain has won five straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Friday. The Bulldogs will welcome the Mountain Lions at 3:45 p.m. Queen Creek is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.4 runs per game this season.
On Thursday, Queen Creek got the win against Gilbert by a conclusive 10-1. The Bulldogs haven't had any issues with the Tigers recently, as the game was their eighth consecutive win against them.
Alexis Mendez
| 04/10/25 @ Gilbert | 13 |
| 03/21/25 vs Hamilton | 7 |
| 03/22/25 vs Sunnyside | 5 |
| 03/20/25 vs Centennial | 5 |
Alexis Mendez tossed a big game, striking out 13 batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits (and only one walk). Those 13 strikeouts gave her a new career-high.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Charli Dixon, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Alessia Velazquez was another key player, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs, one triple, and one RBI.
Queen Creek always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .576. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Gilbert only posted an OBP of .250.
Meanwhile, Red Mountain posted their closest victory since March 19th on Thursday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 5-3 win over Mountain View.
Kendall Cochran spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on five hits and racked up 16 Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts any time she's pitched this season.
At the plate, Payton Westra and Nina Montenegro did most of the damage at the plate: Westra went 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base, while Montenegro went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and one triple. Westra is on a roll when it comes to home runs, as she's now launched at least one in each of the last three games she's played.
Queen Creek's victory bumped their record up to 16-5. As for Red Mountain, their win bumped their record up to 12-3-1.
Friday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Queen Creek hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .372. However, it's not like Red Mountain struggles in that department as they've averaged .340. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Queen Creek took their victory against Red Mountain when the teams last played back in February by a conclusive 12-4 score. Will the Bulldogs repeat their success, or do the Mountain Lions have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
