Christian Greene is an NAU School of Communication student assigned to cover high school baseball for AZPreps365.com

FLAGSTAFF – Flagstaff  took control early and rolled to a 16-3 mercy-rule win over Agua Fria behind a fast start at the plate and a dominant outing from Cailee Culwell on March 18.

The Eagles came out aggressive, putting pressure on the Owls with disciplined at-bats and smart baserunning. 

Head Coach Tomas Hernandez said the focus has been on creating consistent run support for the pitching staff. 

“We’ve been working really hard,” Hernandez said. “We put a lot of focus on our bats and making sure we have run support for our pitchers.”

That approach was shown instantly. Flagstaff jumped out early by staying aggressive, taking advantage of opportunities on the bases and forcing the defense to make plays. 

Culwell dominated on the mound, striking out seven over three innings and not allowing a single baserunner. She credited her performance to preparation and execution. 

“I had pretty good command from the beginning,” Culwell said. “I just stuck to the game plan and stayed focused on hitting my spots.” 

Flagstaff also got work from secondary pitchers, with Hernandez noting that giving other players innings is crucial for depth during the season.

Ryleigh Alex took the ball in the fourth, relieving Culwell’s. 

“Ryleigh doesn’t pitch as much, but today was a good opportunity to get her some work, and we’ll need her later,” Hernandez said. 

The Eagles’ defense played a key role in keeping the Owls off the bases, providing confidence for Culwell to attack hitters aggressively.

Even as the team scored early, Culwell stayed focused on her own execution rather than relying on the lead. 

“The more runs our team scores, the less I have to really worry about it, but I still just kind of do my own thing,” Culwell said. 

Looking forward, Flagstaff plans to carry the momentum into their next matchup while continuing to emphasize discipline and fundamentals on both sides of the ball.  

“I want to be an overall better pitcher,” Culwell said. “My spins could be better, I could throw harder… there’s always something to get better at. We just have to keep putting in the work.”