St. Mary hasn't had much luck against Marcos de Niza recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. St. Mary's will be playing at home against Marcos de Niza at 6:00 p.m. St. Mary's is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.6 runs per game this season.
St. Mary's is headed into Thursday's matchup looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their third straight game on Wednesday. They came up short against Bradshaw Mountain, falling 11-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat the Knights have suffered since February 28th.
Isabella Nunez
| 03/26/25 vs Bradshaw Mountain | 2 |
| 03/25/25 @ Marcos de Niza | 1 |
| 03/19/25 @ Combs | 1 |
| 02/28/25 vs Maricopa | 1 |
St. Mary's saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Isabella Nunez, who scored a run while going 2-for-3. Those two hits gave Nunez a new career-high. Bella Verdugo also deserves some recognition as she got her first hit of the season.
Meanwhile, Marcos de Niza put another one in the bag on Tuesday to keep their perfect season alive. They came out on top against St. Mary's by a score of 10-6.
Leila Rodriguez made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over 6.2 innings while giving up five earned (and one unearned) runs off eight hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was even better at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Sophia Franco, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, four RBI, and one run. The team also got some help courtesy of Dakota Dunn, who scored a run while going 2-for-4.
Marcos de Niza kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least ten hits every time they've taken the field this season.
St. Mary's loss dropped their record down to 8-6. As for Marcos de Niza, their victory bumped their record up to 5-0.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. St. Mary's has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .476. However, it's not like Marcos de Niza struggles in that department as they've averaged .530. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
St. Mary's couldn't quite get it done against Marcos de Niza in their previous meeting on Tuesday as they fell 10-6. Will St. Mary's have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
