Pinnacle is 9-1 against Horizon since March of 2018 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Monday. The Pinnacle Pioneers will take on the Horizon Huskies at 3:45 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Pinnacle is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They put the hurt on Valley Vista with a sharp 23-1 win on Wednesday. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the team's high-flying offense, the game also marked the team's biggest victory of the season.
Lilly Hamel was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. The dominant performance gave her a new career-low in hits. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
Bri Smith
| 03/19/25 vs Valley Vista | 4 |
| 05/01/24 @ Basha | 3 |
| 04/18/24 @ Horizon | 3 |
| 03/29/24 @ Liberty | 3 |
| 03/16/24 @ Desert Ridge | 3 |
In other batting news, Pinnacle got a massive performance out of Bri Smith, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs, two triples, and four RBI. The dominant performance gave Smith a new career-high in runs. Another player making a difference was Payton Crank, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and one triple.
Pinnacle always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .943. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Horizon had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5.3 runs) and they went ahead and made it four on Thursday. Everything went their way against the Coyotes as they made off with a 10-2 win. Considering the Huskies have won four matchups by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Like Pinnacle, Horizon also got a great game from a two-way player: Pierson Hozza. She didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over seven innings pitched. Hozza has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with three RBI and one triple. That triple was her first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lexi Nolen, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, five RBI, and two runs. That home run marked the first that she launched this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Sonja Ritter, who scored three runs while going 3-for-4.
Pinnacle now has a winning record of 4-3-1. As for Horizon, their record is now 6-2.
Monday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Pinnacle has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .484. However, it's not like Horizon struggles in that department as they've averaged .448. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Pinnacle took their victory against Horizon in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 20-1. Does Pinnacle have another victory up their sleeve, or will Horizon turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
