Hannah Baskins is an ASU Cronkite student assigned to cover Queen Creek High School for AZPreps365.com

PHOENIX — Queen Creek’s varsity baseball team suffered its first defeat of the season Thursday, Feb. 26, falling 4-1 at Brophy Prep. 

While the Bulldogs showed flashes of promise, particularly from senior outfielder and pitcher Diego Armenta, they were unable to overcome the Broncos’ consistent offense and strong pitching.

The Bulldogs got on the board in the third inning when Armenta, who is committed to Arizona Western, launched a solo home run to left field on an 0-2 count, tying the game at one.

Armenta said the swing energized the team. 

“It was great. Got our team hype, gives us better chances, just to be ready and just to score more runs,” Armenta said. 

Armenta said off the bat he didn’t realize the ball left the park.

“Once I was rounding first and I saw the guy just standing at the wall, then I kind of assumed it was gone,” Armenta said. 

Despite Armenta’s effort, Brophy regained control in the fifth inning, scoring three runs. Junior infielder and pitcher Dreson Ethier drove in a run on a groundout, and senior pitcher Ryan Fesperman added an RBI single to center field. The Broncos later tacked on an insurance run to secure the 4-1 victory. 

Queen Creek’s offense struggled to mount additional threats against Brophy’s pitching, highlighting areas the Bulldogs will need to address moving forward.

Senior and Eastern Arizona commit Kobe Gomez started on the mound for Queen Creek and allowed three runs on six hits over 4 1/3 innings. He struck out one and walked four. 

The Bulldogs turned one double play, but Brophy’s balanced offensive attack and solid defense limited Queen Creek’s opportunities.

Brophy senior starter Ronan O’Brien struck out eight over three innings, allowing only one run on one hit, showcasing the challenge the Bulldogs faced at the plate.

Head coach Mikel Moreno was candid about the team’s performance and the lessons from the loss. 

“Well, we’re not very good,” Moreno said to his team postgame. “We need to get better. That was all that was said.”

Moreno emphasized the importance of improving offensively in future matchups. 

“We just got to be better, like offensively, we were terrible. I mean, you’d like to think it can only go up from here, because it was so bad, but you never know. That was pretty bad.”

Assistant coach Peyton Holyoak echoed the importance of learning from the experience. 

“Play prepares us by knowing what we need to work towards, knowing what we need to work on,” Holyoak said. “We definitely have some things that we need to improve on, so it kind of is a good moving point forward.” 

Holyoak also highlighted the value of using adversity to build resilience. 

“We need to be comfortable being uncomfortable, and I think we can use it to get through some challenges in the future,” Holyoak said. 

Armenta’s home run was the lone offensive highlight for the Bulldogs, but it underscored the potential for key players to spark momentum. 

As a senior and a two-way contributor, he provides leadership both at the plate and on the mound. 

Queen Creek looks to sharpen its offensive approach when it hosts Nogales on Friday.