The Sunrise Mountain Mustangs will challenge the Arizona College Prep Knights at 3:45 p.m. on Monday. Sunrise Mountain is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9 runs per game this season.
Sunrise Mountain came out on top against Ironwood on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive five-run first inning. The Mustangs walked away with a 7-3 victory over the Eagles. The win continues a trend for the Mustangs in their matchups with the Eagles: they've now won five in a row.
Mackenzie Catalanotte made a splash while hitting and pitching. She tossed seven innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off eight hits. Catalanotte was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one double. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March.
Mckenna Morgan
| 04/17/25 @ Ironwood | 2 |
| 03/28/25 vs Desert Ridge | 1 |
| 03/12/25 vs Westwood | 1 |
| 02/28/25 @ Coconino | 1 |
| 02/27/25 vs Ironwood | 1 |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Mckenna Morgan, who went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, and one run. Those two doubles gave her a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Baylee Wallace, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Sunrise Mountain was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .400. They are 14-1 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Arizona College Prep faced Desert Mountain in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Thursday. The Knights fell just short of the Wolves by a score of 4-2. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the Knights have suffered since March 28, 2024.
Liliana Gagnon was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: she struck out six batters over six innings while giving up four earned runs off eight hits (and only one walk).
On the hitting side, Arizona College Prep saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Rachel Cain, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one run.
Arizona College Prep's defeat ended a nine-game streak of away wins dating back to last season and brought them to 20-5. As for Sunrise Mountain, their victory bumped their record up to 15-9.
Monday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Sunrise Mountain hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .410. However, it's not like Arizona College Prep struggles in that department as they've averaged .400. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
