Desert Hills is on an eight-game streak of home wins, while Cedar is on a four-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Thunder will welcome the Reds at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Desert Hills 1.4, Cedar 2.6) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Last Friday, Desert Hills earned a 5-2 victory over Hurricane.
Lulu West spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on four hits and racked up nine Ks.
On the hitting side, Jayla Ybright was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, two RBI, and one double. Another player making a difference was Payten Benson, who scored a run while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Cedar beat Crimson Cliffs 5-2 on Friday. The win continues a trend for the Reds in their matchups with the Mustangs: they've now won five in a row.
Cedar also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Sadie Parson gave up only one earned (and one unearned) run on four hits and racked up 14 Ks. Parson has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Cedar let Shaylee Johnson and Kate Lopez run wild. Johnson scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3, while Lopez scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-4. That's the most stolen bases Lopez has posted since back in March.
Desert Hills' victory bumped their record up to 17-1. As for Cedar, their win bumped their record up to 16-3.
Tuesday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Desert Hills has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .490. However, it's not like Cedar struggles in that department as they've averaged .440. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Desert Hills skirted past Cedar 10-9 when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Will the Thunder repeat their success, or do the Reds have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
