Cameron Kritzer is an ASU Cronkite Journalism student assigned to cover Phoenix Christian for AZPreps365.com.

PHOENIX — It was a scorching hot day for Phoenix Christian High School as it took on Lincoln Prep March 19. The 103 degree Fahrenheit weather might’ve contributed to the Cougars, as they started red hot and scored eight runs in the opening inning.

This early action was the theme for the day, as Lincoln Prep was overwhelmed and couldn’t respond. Phoenix Christian continued to pile it on and won the game 28-0 in 4 innings.

This was the Cougars' second straight run-rule win and fourth of their last five.

“We always ask the boys to play their hardest,” head coach Mark Band said. “Regardless of what the score is, we always ask them to play to the very best of their ability.”

Though Phoenix Christian (6-4) hosted the game, it served as the away team against Lincoln Prep (1-5).

As the away team, the Cougars got to hit first and got the opportunity to set the tone of the game. They took full advantage of this and scored eight runs early, which was highlighted by smart, heads-up baserunning. Stealing bases and scoring off of wild pitches was just one of the ways the Cougars jumped ahead.

After a shut-down bottom of the first from starting pitcher Matthew Fox, it was time to head back to the batter's box and hit again. This time, only scoring three runs, Phoenix Christian stretched the lead to 11-0 after just two innings.

Fox continued his efficient pitching and closed out another perfect inning.

The third inning was similar to the previous, as Phoenix Christian tacked on four more runs and the lead bloomed to 15-0.

But the next inning is where the game really came off the rails.

In the top fourth inning, the Cougars nearly doubled their score with 13 runs scored. Doing it with both small ball and the long ball, Phoenix Christian continued to grind out at bats and wear down the Lincoln Prep pitchers.

A home run from the catcher, Kevin Palafox, was the statement of the giant inning, as it was his first of the year and was soon paraded by his teammates in the dugout.

As Fox took the mound in the bottom half of the inning, he put the Lightning hitters down to cap off the complete shutout victory in just five innings. He was also credited with a perfect game as he didn't allow a single baserunner the whole game.

Being able to score 28 runs with only one home run is a testament to the type of team Phoenix Christian has been this season. This was its fifth double-digit showing of the season and its second game scoring over 20 runs.

The high-octane offense has been the spotlight so far this season, but it has also been paired with a pitching staff that hasn’t allowed more than six runs in a game.

“I think everything starts in practice,” Palafox said. “We came with a good mentality that we’re gonna put a lot of runs on this team, and it happened.”

Finding the balance between a potent offense and strong pitching could be the Cougars' recipe for success. Still looking to defend their title from 2025, they will continue to show who they really are.

Phoenix Christian will go on the road to take on Scottsdale Christian on March 23, with the first pitch scheduled for 3:45 p.m.

“Tomorrow we got practice, and we gotta forget about this game, focus on the next one,” Palafox said. “Try to fix the mistakes we had in this game and try to get better at it.”