The Apollo Hawks will challenge the Desert Ridge Jaguars at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Apollo is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.4 runs per game this season.
Having struggled with six defeats in a row, Apollo turned things around against Cesar Chavez on Monday. They were the clear victors by a 14-4 margin over the Champions. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Hawks considering their one-run performance the contest before.
Kianna Diets-Doyle was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching six innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. What's more, she posted four strikeouts, the most she's had since back in February. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
In other batting news, Whitney Chrisman was incredible, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Aubry Gomez, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs.
Apollo was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .387. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Cesar Chavez only posted a batting average of .182.
Meanwhile, Desert Ridge was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their fifth straight loss. They were two runs away from ending the streak, but they lost a 3-1 heartbreaker at the hands of Queen Creek. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Jaguars have suffered against the Bulldogs since April 15, 2021.
Desert Ridge also got a good showing from Novi Muffo, who tossed 3.2 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits.
At the plate, Desert Ridge saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Elena Esquivel, who went 1-for-3 with one RBI.
Apollo's win bumped their record up to 4-15. As for Desert Ridge, their loss dropped their record down to 16-11.
Friday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Apollo hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .331. However, it's not like Desert Ridge struggles in that department as they've averaged .395. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
