The Mesa Grande Academy Cardinals will head out on the road to face off against the Indian Springs COYOTES at 3:15 p.m. on Wednesday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Mesa Grande Academy had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 12-run drubbing they dealt Public Safety Academy two weeks ago. The Cardinals put the hurt on the Phoenix with a sharp 25-13 win. The Cardinals haven't had any issues with the Phoenix recently, as the game was their eighth consecutive victory against them.
Melody Bender made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she pitched 3.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Bender was even better at the plate, going a perfect 6-for-6 with three stolen bases, five runs, and seven RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April of 2024.
In other batting news, Esther Koahou was a standout: she scored three runs and stole three bases while getting on base in all five of her plate appearances. Brityn Chase was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Indian Springs can bid farewell to their three-game losing streak thanks to their game on Tuesday. They were the clear victors by a 27-12 margin over California School for the Deaf-Riverside. With that win, the COYOTES brought their scoring average up to 7.8 runs per game.
Like Mesa Grande Academy, Indian Springs also got a great game from a two-way player: Jaslene Hernandez. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing five innings while giving up just one earned (and 11 unearned) runs off four hits. Hernandez was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring four runs while getting on base in four of her six plate appearances.
In other batting news, Nataly Pardo and Alissa Yniguez did most of the damage at the plate: Pardo got on base in four of her five plate appearances with two stolen bases, five RBI, and two runs, while Yniguez scored four runs and stole a base while getting on base in four of her six plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Victoria Solis, who scored four runs while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.
Mesa Grande Academy's record is now 2-0. As for Indian Springs, their record now sits at 2-9-1.
