Arizona Lutheran Academy hasn't had much luck against Phoenix Country Day recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Coyotes will welcome the Eagles at 4:00 p.m. Arizona Lutheran Academy knows how to get runs on the board -- the squad has finished with ten runs or more in their past four games -- so hopefully Phoenix Country Day likes a good challenge.
Arizona Lutheran Academy is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They blew past ALA - Anthem South 16-1 on Tuesday. The Coyotes might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven matchups by six runs or more this season.
Rafael Guerrero was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and only one walk). He also tossed a walk, which is notable because Arizona Lutheran Academy is 2-1 when he allows at most one walk, but 6-7 otherwise. Guerrero was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one triple. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last six games he's played.
Colton Pennington
| 04/08/25 vs ALA - Anthem South | 3 |
| 04/04/25 vs Gilbert Classical Academy | 3 |
| 04/03/25 @ Veritas Prep | 2 |
| 03/01/25 vs Blue Ridge | 2 |
| 04/07/25 @ Miami | 1 |
| + 5 more games |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Colton Pennington, who scored three runs and stole three bases while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. He is becoming a predictor of Arizona Lutheran Academy's success: when he posts at least two stolen bases the team is 3-1 (and 5-7 when he doesn't). The team also got some help courtesy of Xavier Gonzales, who scored three runs and stole four bases.
Arizona Lutheran Academy was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .625. The last time their batting average was this high was back in April of 2024.
Meanwhile, Phoenix Country Day earned a 5-2 win over Santa Cruz Valley on Tuesday. The Eagles haven't had any issues with the Dust Devils recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive victory against them.
Reed Ross was excellent, going 3-for-4 with three RBI and one double. Logan Rose was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
Arizona Lutheran Academy pushed their record up to 8-8 with the win, which was their third straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Phoenix Country Day, they now have a winning record of 7-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Arizona Lutheran Academy has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 6.1 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Phoenix Country Day struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.2 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Arizona Lutheran Academy took their win against Phoenix Country Day in their previous matchup two weeks ago by a conclusive 15-9 score. Do the Coyotes have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Eagles turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
