Odyssey Institute hasn't had much luck against ALA - West Foothills recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Minotaur will host the Guardians at 3:45 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Having struggled with ten defeats in a row, Odyssey Institute turned things around against Highland Prep on Friday. They came out on top against the Honey Badgers by a score of 15-12.
Ziomarah Vera
| 04/11/25 @ Highland Prep | 3 |
| 04/09/25 vs Seton Catholic | 2 |
| 04/04/24 vs Chino Valley | 2 |
| 04/02/25 @ River Valley | 1 |
| 04/22/24 vs Thatcher | 1 |
Ziomarah Vera was a standout: she went 3-for-5 with three runs, four RBI, and one triple. Those three hits gave her a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Jaden Schwartz, who scored four runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-3.
Odyssey Institute was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .553. Their batting average was a full 0 higher than the also-impressive .417 that Highland Prep posted.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for ALA - West Foothills, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. Everything went their way against Parker on Friday as they made off with an 18-1 victory. The result was nothing new for the Guardians, who have now won nine matches by ten runs or more so far this season.
ALA - West Foothills got a massive performance out of Ave Risati, who fired off two home runs and three RBI while going 3-for-3. Mia Gonzalez was another key player, scoring four runs and stealing four bases while going 3-for-3.
ALA - West Foothills pushed their record up to 11-7 with the win, which was their sixth straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.8 runs on average over those games. As for Odyssey Institute, the win was their first on the road , bumping their record up to 3-11.
Monday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Odyssey Institute has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .432. However, it's not like ALA - West Foothills struggles in that department as they've averaged .498. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Odyssey Institute might still be hurting after the 21-1 loss they got from ALA - West Foothills in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can the Minotaur avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
