The Marcos de Niza Padres will take on the Thunderbird Titans at 3:45 p.m. on Thursday. Marcos de Niza will come into the game with an undefeated record on the line.
Last Monday, Marcos de Niza earned a 7-3 victory over Mesquite.
Leila Rodriguez
| 03/31/25 @ Mesquite | 7 |
| 03/28/25 vs South Mountain | 12 |
| 03/27/25 @ St. Mary's | 9 |
| 03/25/25 vs St. Mary's | 7 |
| 03/05/25 @ McClintock | 7 |
| + 3 more games |
Leila Rodriguez was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run while striking out seven over seven innings pitched. She has been consistent : she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Olivia Franco was incredible, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. That triple marked the first that she hit this season. Anayalisa Alvarez was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
Marcos de Niza kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That's the most hits they've posted since back in April of 2024.
Meanwhile, Thunderbird got the win against Goldwater on Wednesday by a conclusive 16-2. The result was nothing new for the Titans, who have now won 11 matches by six runs or more so far this season.
Like Marcos de Niza, Thunderbird also got a great game from a two-way player: Addison Hodge. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits (and not a single walk). Hodge was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
In other batting news, Brooke Casey and Lily Rakich did most of the damage at the plate: Casey scored three runs while going 2-for-4, while Rakich scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. What's more, Rakich posted two hits, the most she's had since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Rachel Cavanaugh, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Thunderbird has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-4 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.6 runs over those games. As for Marcos de Niza, they pushed their record up to 8-0 with the victory, which was their fifth straight on the road.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Marcos de Niza hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .403. However, it's not like Thunderbird struggles in that department as they've averaged .366. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Marcos de Niza suffered a grim 13-3 defeat to Thunderbird when the teams last played back in March of 2022. Can the Padres avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
