For the first time this season, Arapahoe will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They will square off against the Cherokee Trail Cougars at 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday. The last five games Arapahoe has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when Arapahoe and Mountain Vista meet (three straight games heading into this one) and that held true again on Wednesday. The Warriors sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 2-1 win over the Golden Eagles. That's two games straight that the Warriors have won by just one run.
Sam Szczukowski
| 04/02/25 @ Mountain Vista | 6 |
| 03/18/25 vs Denver North | 5 |
| 05/07/24 vs Overland | 5 |
| 03/26/25 vs La Costa Canyon | 3 |
| 05/13/24 @ Fossil Ridge | 3 |
Sam Szczukowski tossed a big game, striking out six batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. Those six strikeouts gave him a new career-high.
On the hitting side, Arapahoe's victory was truly a team effort as six different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Josh Lew, who scored a run while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, Cherokee Trail got the win against Heritage on Wednesday by a conclusive 7-1.
Landon McWilliams and Peyton Michlig did most of the damage at the plate: McWilliams went 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one double, while Michlig went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI. That triple marked the first that McWilliams hit this season. Another player making a difference was Jacob Ryan, who went 1-for-2 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
Arapahoe has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a nice bump to their 6-3 record this season. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of one runs across that stretch. As for Cherokee Trail, their record now sits at 8-4.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Tuesday. Arapahoe hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.8 home runs per game. However, it's not like Cherokee Trail struggles in that department as they've been averaging 0.5 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
