Coolidge hasn't had much luck against Valley Christian recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Bears will be playing in front of their home fans against the Trojans at 4:00 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Coolidge took a nine-run loss the last time they faced off against Globe, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Bears won by a run and slipped past the Tigers 6-5.
Riley Hamilton
| 04/15/25 @ Globe | 11 |
| 04/12/25 vs Tanque Verde | 2 |
| 04/07/25 @ Safford | 7 |
| 03/28/25 @ Florence | 3 |
| 03/18/25 @ Apache Junction | 7 |
| + 7 more games |
Riley Hamilton made a splash while hitting and pitching. He struck out 11 batters over 6.2 innings while giving up four earned (and one unearned) runs off nine hits. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in April of 2024. He was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Patrick Perez, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-3. Coolidge is 5-1 when Perez posts two or more runs, but 1-10 otherwise. Athyn Alphus was another key player, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, Valley Christian waltzed into their game on Tuesday with seven straight wins... but they left with eight. They blew past the Sentinels 10-1. The result was nothing new for the Trojans, who have now won 14 matches by six runs or more so far this season.
Like Coolidge, Valley Christian also got a great game from a two-way player: Carson Grier. On the mound, he struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits (and only one walk). Grier has been consistent : he hasn't given up more than one earned run in seven consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, Caleb Danzeisen was incredible, going 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Brayden Waggoner, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with one home run.
Valley Christian hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least five batters in seven consecutive contests.
Valley Christian's win was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 20-2. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 15.0 runs over those games. As for Coolidge, their win ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 6-11.
Coolidge suffered a grim 24-2 defeat to Valley Christian in their previous matchup on Monday. Will the Bears have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
