Combs hasn't had much luck against Poston Butte recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. Combs will welcome Poston Butte at 3:45 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.
While Combs' victory against Dysart wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. Combs sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 18-16 win over Dysart on Monday. The Coyotes haven't had any issues with the Demons recently, as the game was their ninth consecutive victory against them.
Nikey Stewart
| 03/24/25 @ Dysart | 4 |
| 02/27/25 @ San Tan Foothills | 3 |
| 03/19/25 vs St. Mary's | 1 |
| 03/17/25 @ Cactus Shadows | 1 |
Nikey Stewart made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she pitched four innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. The dominant performance also gave her a new career-high in strikeouts (four). She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-6 with three RBI and two doubles.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Melissa Gonzalez, who got on base in four of her six plate appearances with four runs, five RBI, and one stolen base. Those four runs gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Emery Huffaker, who scored three runs while getting on base in five of her six plate appearances.
Combs was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .471. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Dysart only posted a batting average of .345.
Meanwhile, Poston Butte won against Thatcher on Friday with 12 runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Friday. Poston Butte's pitcher stepped up to hand Thunderbird a 12-0 shutout. The result was nothing new for the Broncos, who have now won eight matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
Like Combs, Poston Butte also got a great game from a two-way player: Haylee Lopez. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out 12 over five innings pitched. Lopez was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three runs.
In other batting news, Kimberly Westover was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run and two RBI. Aliyah Madrid was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI.
Poston Butte has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six games. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-5 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 15.2 runs over those games. Combs' victory bumped their record up to 5-9.
Tuesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Combs has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .528. However, it's not like Poston Butte struggles in that department as they've averaged .514. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Combs suffered a grim 16-0 defeat to Poston Butte when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can Combs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
