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Week 6 Game Recap: #25 Desert Vista vs. #21 Highland

April 4, 2024
Cam Black-Araujo
Arizona Operations

#25 Desert Vista 9 vs. #21 Highland 5

Desert Vista Thunder picked up their first win in 6A Central conference play as they went on the road and took down Highland 9-5 in a Top 25 matchup. The Hawks jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the first inning before the two teams traded runs in the middle innings. Desert Vista would tie the game in the top of the third and Highland answered in the bottom half with a pair of their own to regain a two-run lead, 4-2.

It was all Desert Vista from that point on as they scored runs in four straight innings with another three in the 4th, one in the 5th and three more in the 6th. The win gave the Thunder their first conference win of the year, now 1-2, while it gave Highland their first loss in conference, now 2-1.

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The best performance of the night on the mound was '24 RHP Braden Burness (Scottsdale CC) who was dominant out of the bullpen and allowed the Thunder offense an oppportunity to come from behind on the road and a steal a win. The recent Scottsdale CC commit worked 4.2 innings and surrendered just one run (0 ER), on five hits, four walks and five strikeouts. It was a gutsy performance as he worked out of several jams down the stretch.

The big winner at the dish was '24 INF Bode Thomas (uncommitted) who came through with a trio of knocks, including a big two-run single in the middle innings. In total, Thomas went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI and he's been swinging it well of late as he's picked up multiple hits in his past three games with seven hits in that stretch.

A pair of San Francisco commits also came through at the dish for Desert Vista and it was '22 Future Games alum who did so first, shooting a single through the right-side. '24 C/INF Brendan Burke (San Francisco) reached base four times on the night with a trio of walks to go along with the single and he came around to score once. The senior catcher has been a leader for the squad all year and has reached base at a clip of .533 through 20 games.

The other San Francisco commit is also a Future Games alum, '25 OF Jayden Garrison (San Francisco), as he came through with a big two-run double to the opposite field gap. Garrison is one of the top junior outfielders in Arizona and continues to swing it well here in 2024 as he's batting .385 with an OBP of .494.

For the Highland Hawks, it was a pair of familiar faces that drove the offense in this one as '25 INF Greyson Sparks (uncommitted) came to the dish with two runners in scoring positon and drove one of them in with a line-drive single to the pullside. Sparks had a pair of hits on the night and has been a bright spot of late for Highland as he's currently on a four-game hit-streak with six hits, two doubles and a walk during that stretch.

The other Hawks talent with multiple hits in the game was '25 INF Beau Tarwater (uncommitted) who also had a double and came around to score once. Tarwater has been a force out of the leadoff spot this year for Highland as he's reached base in every game this year and crossed the plate in all but one game this year.

UPCOMING EVENTS

SHOWCASE STATE DATE LOCATION
Arizona Rising Stars ID AZ 04/13 Grand Canyon University - Phoenix, AZ
Arizona Rising Stars ID - Session 2 AZ 04/27 Grand Canyon University - Phoenix, AZ
Mesa Summer ID AZ 05/29 Desert Ridge High School - Mesa, AZ
2024 ProCase - West AZ 06/02 Pepperdine University
Top Prospect Games: Upperclass (Invite-Only) AZ 06/03 Grand Canyon University - Phoenix, AZ
Top Prospect Games: Underclass (Invite-Only) AZ 06/10 American Family Fields of Phoenix
West Side Summer ID AZ 06/18 Canyon View High School - Waddell, AZ
Glendale Summer ID AZ 07/16 Apollo High School - Glendale, AZ
Future Games (Class of 2026/27) NATIONAL 07/24 LakePoint Sports
Junior Future Games (Class of 2028/29) NATIONAL 07/24 LakePoint Sports
Senior Future Games (Class of 2025) NATIONAL 07/24 LakePoint Sports

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