The Imagine Prep Storm will head out on the road to face off against the Mission Heights Prep Phantoms at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Mission Heights Prep took a loss in their last match and will be looking to turn the tables on Imagine Prep, who comes in off a win.
Imagine Prep was handed a heart-breaking two-run loss in their last contest, but they sure didn't let that happen against Harvest Prep Academy on Tuesday. The Storm put the hurt on the Eagle with a sharp 13-1 victory. That looming 13-1 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Storm yet this season.
Xavier Romero made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out nine over five innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in two of his four plate appearances. That's the most runs he has posted since back in March of 2024.
Carlos Carrasco
| 04/08/25 vs Harvest Prep Academy | 3 |
| 03/31/25 @ Canyon State Academy | 2 |
| 03/17/25 @ Harvest Prep Academy | 2 |
| 03/28/25 vs Heritage Academy | 1 |
| 03/06/25 @ Maricopa Institute of Technology | 1 |
In other batting news, Imagine Prep got a massive performance out of Carlos Carrasco, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one triple. Carrasco is becoming a predictor of the Storm's success: when he posts at least two stolen bases the team is undefeated (and 1-4-1 when he doesn't). Jeremiah Hunt also deserves some recognition as he hit his first triple of the season.
Imagine Prep always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .571. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Mission Heights Prep unfortunately witnessed the end of their three-game winning streak on Wednesday. They fell just short of Our Lady of Sorrows by a score of 6-5.
Mission Heights Prep saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Daniel Vargas, who scored a run while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Jacob Kemp was another, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in two of his four plate appearances.
Mission Heights Prep's defeat dropped their record down to 6-3-1. As for Imagine Prep, their win ended a six-game drought at home dating back to last season and bumped them up to 4-4-1.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Imagine Prep has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.4 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Mission Heights Prep struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Imagine Prep couldn't quite finish off Mission Heights Prep in their previous matchup on Friday and fell 8-6. Can the Storm avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
