The Northland Prep Academy Spartans are taking a road trip to square off against the Round Valley Elks at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Northland Prep Academy took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. They came out on top against Tuba City by a score of 16-13. Considering the Spartans' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Ryliegh LaFave made a splash while hitting and pitching. She struck out nine batters over seven innings while giving up four earned (and nine unearned) runs off nine hits. LaFave was also big at the plate, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with four runs and one stolen base.
Audre Wilson
| 04/23/25 vs Tuba City | 5 |
| 04/20/24 vs Highland Prep | 4 |
| 04/12/24 @ Pinon | 4 |
| 03/26/25 @ Ash Fork/Seligman | 3 |
| 04/15/24 vs Red Rock | 3 |
In other batting news, Audre Wilson was incredible, firing off two home runs, nine RBI, and five runs while going 5-for-5. Those five hits gave her a new career-high. Alana Begay Clark also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Northland Prep Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .643. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Tuba City only posted an OBP of .447.
Meanwhile, Round Valley waltzed into their match on Wednesday with five straight wins... but they left with six. They walked away with a 14-11 victory over the Bobcats.
Carla Arreola spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned (and six unearned) runs on ten hits and racked up ten Ks. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in eight consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Kelci Walker, who went 3-for-5 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. She is on a roll when it comes to RBI, as she's now brought in three or more in each of the last four games she's played. Skyler Hevener was another key player, going 2-for-5 with three runs, one double, and one RBI.
Round Valley's record is now 15-6. As for Northland Prep Academy, they now have a winning record of 6-5.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Northland Prep Academy hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .345. However, it's not like Round Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .366. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Northland Prep Academy's way against Round Valley in their previous meeting back in May of 2023, as Northland Prep Academy made off with an 8-2 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Spartans since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
