The Coronado Cougars will head out on the road to challenge the Palo Verde Panthers at 3:30 p.m. on Monday. Coronado is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.8 runs per game this season.
Coronado managed to slip by Liberty the last time these teams faced off, but didn't have those same answers this time around. The Cougars lost 12-5 to the Patriots on Tuesday. That makes it the first time this season the Cougars have let down their home crowd.
Bailey Goldberg made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and got on base in all five of her plate appearances with one triple, one run, and one double. Another player making a difference was Alohi Mundon, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI and one triple.
Meanwhile, on Thursday Palo Verde's undefeated season almost came to an end. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 1-0 W against Centennial. The one-run effort marked the Panthers' lowest-scoring matchup of the season, but in the end it didn't matter.
The result came thanks to Ava Koenig's shutout, as she gave up just five hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Palo Verde's victory was truly a team effort as four different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Alexis Kearnes, who went 1-for-3 with one double and one RBI. That double marked the first that Kearnes hit this season.
Palo Verde's win was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 12-0. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.5 runs on average over those games. As for Coronado, their defeat dropped their record down to 11-9.
Monday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Coronado has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .453. However, it's not like Palo Verde struggles in that department as they've averaged .456. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Coronado's way against Palo Verde in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, as Coronado made off with a 15-4 win. Do the Cougars have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Panthers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
