The Chaparral Firebirds will head out to take on the Arizona College Prep Knights at 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Chaparral took a loss when they played away from home on Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They were the clear victors by a 9-2 margin over McClintock.
Amelia Baum made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run over seven innings pitched. What's more, she posted two strikeouts, the most she's had over her last seven contests. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kaelyn Moffitt, who went 1-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. Bria Belden was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, Arizona College Prep waltzed into their match on Monday with 11 straight wins... but they left with 12. Their pitchers stepped up to hand the Vikings an 11-0 shutout. The Knights' pitching crew has been rock solid lately; the team hasn't given up a run in their last three games.
Liliana Gagnon looked comfortable as she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over four innings pitched.
At the plate, Samantha Sherman was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Taylor Estrella, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
Arizona College Prep hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now struck out at most five strikeouts in 13 consecutive contests.
Chaparral has been performing well recently as they've won nine of their last 12 matchups. That's provided a massive bump to their 9-9 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.5 runs over those games. Arizona College Prep pushed their record up to 14-3 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Chaparral has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .435. However, it's not like Arizona College Prep struggles in that department as they've averaged .497. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
