Glendale, Ariz.- Arizona Christian Softball is ready to take a swing at the 2021 season under the direction of first year Interim Head Coach Jimmy Gutierrez. The Firestorm will host Taylor (IN) at Sandra Day O'Connor High School on Saturday. Both teams begin the year receiving votes in the NAIA softball preseason poll.
Game Details
Taylor- Saturday, January 23 at 12/2 pm
Sandra Day O'Connor High School (Directions)
Phoenix, AZ
Live Coverage
Live Video ($7.95 per game/ $10.95 per day)/Stats- https://portal.stretchinternet.com/acu/
Thoughts from Coach Gutierrez
"We our truly blessed with an amazing group of girls and a great coaching staff. We have depth, a great mixture of speed and power and relentless effort to go with it. These young ladies are flying around the field, diving and giving us everything they have, playing for God's glory. We could not ask for anything more. This season we will play with unwavering faith, a genuine love for each other and with the expectation of Christ Himself to do great things through us… and we hope to win a few games along the way!"
Arizona Christian
Before COVID 19 cut their 2020 season short, the Firestorm were 19-9 overall and 6-2 in GSAC play. ACU won six of their last seven games of the season which included sweeping No. 7 Vanguard. Seniors Lani San Pedro and Elsy Guzman are back to wreak havoc at the top of the lineup. Senior Taylor Roberts, Sophomore Bibi Acosta, and Freshman Paige Bryant are a few new faces that will strengthen the Firestorm pitching staff and offense.
Top Returning ACU Players To Watch
Lani San Pedro - .365, 9 2B, 3B, 27 runs, 20 stolen bases
Elsy Guzman - .337, 4 HR, 31 RBI
Claire Buckley- .325, 6 2B, 3B, HR
Kylee Brown - .323, 8 HR, 3 2B, 24 RBI
Series Notes
The only two meetings between the teams came last year and turned into slug fests with Taylor holding on to win both- 12-11 and 6-4.
Taylor
Saturday is the season opener for the Trojans as well. Last year, the Trojans went 11-3 and 2-0 in Crossroads action before their season ended. Taylor swept No. 11 Indiana Wesleyan in their final two games of the 2020 season.
Top Returning ACU Players To Watch
Lauren Kanai- .413, 8 2B, 3B, HR, 16 RBI, 5-0, save, 3.30 ERA
Ashton Whitman- .375, 5 2B, HR, 10 RBI
Kara Tucker- .367
Taylor Wilson- .340, 6 2B, 17 RBI
Roll Storm!
