The Kingman Academy Tigers will head out to challenge the Wickenburg Wranglers at 3:45 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Kingman Academy made up a huge gap compared to their last game against Bagdad, but they still couldn't quite topple them. The Tigers put the hurt on the Sultans with a sharp 14-4 victory on Monday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Tigers.
Emily Mathys
| 04/07/25 vs Bagdad | 15 |
| 04/04/25 @ Glendale Prep Academy | 15 |
| 04/02/25 @ Mohave Accelerated | 8 |
| 03/29/25 @ Joseph City | 3 |
| 03/24/25 vs Wickenburg | 8 |
| + 10 more games |
Emily Mathys made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out 15 over six innings pitched. With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 5.4 strikeouts per game. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
In other batting news, Brady Sanders was a standout: she went 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. That home run marked the first that she launched this season. Another player making a difference was Taylee Mote, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
Kingman Academy was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .500. They are undefeated (13-0) when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Wickenburg never let their opponents score on Wednesday. Everything went their way against St. John Paul II Catholic as they made off with a 20-0 win. The victory was nothing new for the Wranglers as they're now sitting on three straight.
Like Kingman Academy, Wickenburg also got a great game from a two-way player: Maleigh Colvin. On the mound, she tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Colvin has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one hit in three consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with three RBI.
In other batting news, Wickenburg got a massive performance out of Tylee Buchert, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with five RBI, two runs, and one double. That's the most hits Buchert has posted since back in March. Brynlee Meister was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
Kingman Academy pushed their record up to 16-4-1 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.5 runs over those games. As for Wickenburg, they now have a winning record of 10-9.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Kingman Academy hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .432. However, it's not like Wickenburg struggles in that department as they've averaged .391. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Kingman Academy took their win against Wickenburg when the teams last played back in March by a conclusive 19-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Tigers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
