The Thunderbird Titans are taking a road trip to face off against the Marcos de Niza Padres at 3:45 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Thunderbird 4, Marcos de Niza 3.5) so any runs scored will be well earned.
On Wednesday, Thunderbird got the win against Goldwater by a conclusive 16-2. The result was nothing new for the Titans, who have now won 11 contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Addison Hodge
| 04/02/25 @ Goldwater | 7 |
| 03/31/25 vs Goldwater | 5 |
| 03/27/25 vs Moon Valley | 6 |
| 03/21/25 vs Poston Butte | 6 |
| 03/20/25 vs Deer Valley | 5 |
| + 2 more games |
Addison Hodge was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in seven consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
In other batting news, Thunderbird let Brooke Casey and Lily Rakich run wild. Casey scored three runs while going 2-for-4, while Rakich scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. What's more, Casey posted three RBI, the most she's had since back in March. Another player making a difference was Rachel Cavanaugh, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Thunderbird always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .600. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Goldwater only posted an OBP of .250.
Meanwhile, Marcos de Niza strolled into their game on Monday with a perfect record and they left with the same. They came out on top against Mesquite by a score of 7-3.
Leila Rodriguez made a splash while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run while striking out seven over seven innings pitched. Rodriguez was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Olivia Franco was incredible, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. That triple marked the first that she hit this season. Anayalisa Alvarez was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
The win made it two in a row for Thunderbird and bumps their season record up to 12-4. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered a grand total of 4 runs in those games. As for Marcos de Niza, their win was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 8-0.
Thursday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Thunderbird has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .520. However, it's not like Marcos de Niza struggles in that department as they've averaged .507. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Thunderbird's way against Marcos de Niza in their previous matchup back in March of 2022, as Thunderbird made off with a 13-3 victory. Do the Titans have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Padres turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
